Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Programme

"Innovation of Science Pursuit for Inspire Research (INSPIRE)" is one such innovative programs proposed by the Department of Science & Technology for attraction of talent to science. The basic objective of INSPIRE would be to communicate to the youth population of the country the excitements of creative pursuit of science and attract talent to the study of science at an early stage and build the required critical human resource pool for strengthening and expanding the Science & Technology system and R&D base. INSPIRE Scheme has included three components. They are i) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS), b) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC). Participation of Youth in Real-Time Observation to Benefit Education (PROBE) The division has launched the scheme on Participation of youth in Real-time/ field Observations for the Benefit of Education (PROBE). The primary objective of PROBE, initiated in the States of Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, National Capital Region of Delhi, Orissa and North-East, has been to train students at school level (classes IX, X and XI) in taking meteorological observations for understanding day-to-day environment including weather. Commenced in Uttarakhand in 2003 with the goal of linking students and teachers with the scientific research community, the Scheme has made substantial progress.

Science For Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED)

"Working for technological empowerment and sustainable livelihoods at the grass root levels" Science For Equity Empowerment and Development has the broad objectives of providing opportunities to motivated scientists and field level workers to take up action oriented and location specific projects aiming towards socio-economic upliftment of poor and disadvantaged sections of the society through appropriate science and technology interventions especially in the rural areas. Under this program efforts have been made to associate concerned National Labs or other specialist S&T institutions with each major program so as to build-in expert input, utilize national S&T infrastructure and link it up with grassroots S&T interventions/initiatives.

In a significant development the minstry of ocean development has been recently named as the ministry of Earth sciences. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is in charge of matters relating to Ocean Science and Technology, Meteorology, Seismology, Climate and Environmental Sciences and related Earth Sciences.

The Department of Ocean Development was created in July 1981 to serve as a nodal Department for organising, coordinating and promoting ocean development activities in the country, in line with the Ocean Policy Statement. The programmes of the Department are directed towards : (1) Technology Development Programmes for future applications with strategic, industrial and economic significance; (2) Societal Programmes with direct/ indirect benefit for the community by technology applications and pilot project demonstration with the participation of the community for their socioeconomic prosperity, and for coastal area development. (3) Marine Resources Programmes for exploration of marine living and non-living resources, techno- economic studies to evolve strategies for sustainable exploration and utilistion, and resource enhancement. (4) Multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary Polar Science Progammes and Antarctic Expeditions with scientific and geopolitical significance; (5) Capacity Building Programme towards self-reliance through basic scientific research in ocean sector, human resource development and establishing Centres of Excellence in academic institutions and (6) Creation of public awareness of ocean, its potential and uses.