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| Saturday, Sep 20, 2008
“Industrial training vital for bio-technology students”
Workshop on ‘Current trends in biology and bio-technology’
Tiruchi: The need for imparting practical training to students
in industrial applications of bio-technology was underlined
by the former Director of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore,
G. Padmanaban.
Inaugurating a two-day workshop on ‘Current trends in
biology and bio-technology’ organised jointly by the Department
of Biochemistry of Bharthidasan University and the Science Academies
in India, at the University here on Friday, Prof. Padmanaban
said that the branch of bio-technology was emerging as a popular
science, leading to tremendous growth and development. It was
only in India across the globe that the bio-technology industries
were getting special grants from the Department of Bio-Technology,
indicating the Centre’s support to encourage the bio-technology,
Prof. Padmanaban said.
He emphasised the need for imparting quality training to students
of bio-technology.
Two-pronged strategy
In this context, he suggested a two-pronged strategy for improving
the employability skills of the students.
Firstly, the colleges and universities should set up more number
of full-fledged laboratories with modernised equipment, avoiding
over-crowding during practical sessions. Secondly, the students
should be exposed to hands-on training on the industrial applications
of the syllabus, he said with a categorical warning that biotechnology,
sans experiment, ‘will not stand.’
Copious support
Explaining the copious support from the Department of Biotechnology
to encourage biotechnology-based industries, Prof. Padmanaban
dwelt at length on its ‘Small Business Innovation Research
Initiative’ and urged the entrepreneurs to take maximum
and due advantage of the programme.
The Department of Biotechnology had short-listed the Department
of Life Sciences of the Bharathidasan University for upgrading
into an inter-disciplinary institute.
The Department of Life Sciences would qualify for an assistance
of Rs.3 crore for taking up various research programmes in co-ordination
with the other departments of the university.
The Chair, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University,
A. S. Rao; the Convenor of the workshop, P. N. Rangarajan and
the Head of Department of Biochemistry, V. Ravikumar were among
those who spoke.
They explained the copious budgetary support for various biotechnology-based
projects and research programmes.
Prof. Padmanaban also inaugurated the Tiruchi Chapter of the
Society of Biological Chemistry and interacted with the students
on the occasion.
Courtesy: The Hindu
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