Govt to introduce nano technology courses in all universities

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) The government would shortly introduce nano technology courses in all universities in a bid to produce nano scientists.

Disclosing this at 5th Knowledge Millennium Summit organised by ASSOCHAM, Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr D Purandeswari said nano faculties and courses would first commence in University of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, which have completed almost 150 years of their creation.

Subsequently, the nano courses and faculties could be extended in all other universities across the country.

India has been facing acute shortages of nano scientists particularly at times when their requirements had grown manifold in view of its relevance, said the Minister.

She added that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was currently evolving methodologies and developing curricula with concerned stakeholders.

Dr. Purandeswari also announced that her Ministry would shortly indulge into consultation process with the University Grants Commission (UGC) so that necessary grants were circulated to universities for nano faculty and courses as nano professionals were much in great demand.

According to her, India has a huge potential to market nanotech products. Careful and selective investments in nanotechnology can catalyse the country's economic development and stability and pave way for its transformation into a developed nation by 2020'.

The convergence of nanotechnology and biotechnology has created an opportunity for the innovative development of medical advances spanning the continum of drug discovery and development.

Nanotechnology offers cheaper and faster medical diagnosis, new therapeutics and novel methods of drug delivery with many of these technologies currently inter-clinical or clinical development.

''Because of the creation of nanotechnology tools, we are finally on the verge of taking biotech to the nanoscale and the view is breathtaking.

''Convergence of nanotechnology, a functional engineering on an extremely small scale with biotechnology will not only produce high tech products at low cost but will also prolong life via preventing illness and improved health'', said the Minister.

On this occasion Mr K L Chugh, Chairman, ASSOCHAM Knowledge Millennium Council sought creation of Nano Bio Fund, the seed capital of one billion US dollars to give incentives to future nano scientists, an ASSOCHAM release said here.

UNI