The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will soon appoint an agency for the independent evaluation of human resource development programmes of DBT to assess the progress of these programmes.

The DBT is implementing integrated HRD programmes in biotechnology comprising of postgraduate teaching programmes (M. Sc./M. Tech./M. VSc.), fellowship programmes for Ph.D. and post-doctoral research, short term training programmes for mid-career scientist, UG & PG teachers as well as industrial training for students and Star College Scheme for undergraduate science education in the country.

The objective of the independent evaluation of these programmes like PG teaching programme, fellowship programme and industrial training programme, is assessment of the progress keeping in view of parameters like years of support by DBT, infrastructure facilities for teaching and research, extramural funding received by faculty, filling up of sanctioned seats, regular faculty strength with specialization, participation of guest faculty, publications along with impact factor, summer/winter training/industrial visit, in-house dissertation, students feedback mechanism, placement of candidates, and timely utilization of grants etc.

For appointing an agency, the DBT has sought proposals from agencies having expertise and experience in relevant area for independent evaluation of DBT-HRD programmes. Once in place, the agency has to design questionnaires for seeking information, collecting and analysing data, selectively visit a few representative institutes and submit report within six months of sanction of project.

The major objective of the HRD programme of the DBT is to generate adequate and trained human resource in the multi-disciplinary and knowledge intensive field of biotechnology for meeting the requirement of research and industrial activities in the country. In recognition of its importance, DBT has identified HRD as an area of high priority during the XII th Five Year Plan in order to generate trained/skilled human resource in the multidisciplinary areas of biotechnology.

The DBT's HRD programme has already made tremendous impact on the overall development of biotechnology in the country which needs to expand keeping in view the latest trends in biotechnology worldwide.