The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will soon undertake an elaborate all India study that would provide the direction for a road map for development of adequate quality human resources in the field of biotechnology for the next ten years.

The department will soon assign the "Study on: Human Resource Development in Biotechnology for 10 year Road map" to a competent agency and bids have been invited for the purpose. The study is mainly aimed to analyse the mismatch between the need of the industry, the kind of skill and expertise essential for converting knowledge to commercially viable technologies and the manpower available.

According to DBT, the scope of study would cover assessment of the current scenario of the global biotechnology industry, the future trend, the present status of Indian biotechnology industry, identification of niche areas and areas of opportunity for the country, the current capacity in teaching, training and research, identification of the areas of deficiency, suggestion on creation of additional capability in terms of teaching, skill development, research, infrastructure and new institutions, enrichment of the content and quality of academic curricula, alternative mechanisms such as industry-university partnership for skill and entrepreneurship development and the need for regulatory and institutional mechanism for quality assurance in HRD programmes etc. The present capability in manpower development should also deal with the post-qualification placement data in terms of employment profile, job stability and compensation.

The deficiencies in the present system will be objectively brought out by the study, in terms of infrastructure and faculty engaged in teaching and training and the quality and suitability of the graduates to meet the market requirement. The assessment of the manpower requirement will be done subject-wise, such as agriculture, medical, environmental, industrial, bio-safety, IPR, etc. as well on the basis of level of skill such as that required for technicians, technologists, teachers, scientists, attorneys, etc. The study will have detailed in depth review, an objective SWOT analysis, and evidence based findings and suggestions on the human resources development plan for the country for the next ten years.

The study would cover the industry segments of recombinant products (r-DNA products), sera, vaccines, blood/plasma products, antibiotics, drug delivery systems etc., stem cell research/application, companies providing services/contract research etc., clinical trials/research, diagnostics, bio-control agents, bio-fertilizers, oligos, genes, plamids, bio-markers, enzymes, animal biotechnology, bio-chips, bio-informatics-services/developmental companies, drug designing etc. Information will be also collected from all academic institutions (private/Government colleges, universities, R&D institutions etc.) that are running under Graduate as well as Post Graduate teaching courses in biotechnology and life sciences.