The Centre is considering a new “Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC)” scheme aimed at attracting top Indian-origin researchers and scientists back to India, with a proposal to engage 120 research fellows and chairs across IITs over five years, the Indian Express reported.
The plan was presented to the IIT Council, the apex coordination body of the Indian Institutes of Technology, at its meeting held in August last year, according to minutes released on Monday (5 January).
An Education Ministry official outlined the proposal, which seeks to “attract and engage global talent of Indian origin” and “strengthen India’s higher education and research ecosystem,” the minutes said.
Under the scheme, 120 positions will be created across three categories — Young Research Fellows, Senior Research Fellows, and Research Chairs — over a five-year period.
“The scheme will focus on 14 nationally significant priority sectors including semiconductors, AI, clean energy, and advanced materials. The scheme seeks to improve institutional research capacity, boost innovation, and enhance India’s global standing in science, technology, and academic excellence,” the minutes stated.
The Council was also informed of an “in-principle agreement for the Prime Minister Research Chair Scheme, with the understanding that the initiative will be launched soon in a structured, large-scale way to attract and engage global talent of Indian origin.”
Separately, the IIT Council recommended expanding an alumni outcomes survey to all 23 IITs for graduates from the 2013, 2014, and 2015 batches, following a presentation based on data from six IITs.
It further called for an analysis of why “IIT graduates taking up PhD and postdoctoral programmes outside India” and suggested measures to strengthen domestic research pathways and academic retention. IIT Bombay has been tasked with taking this forward.
The Council also discussed reforms to postgraduate programmes, noting that limited specialisations and lack of internships deter BTech graduates from pursuing MTech degrees.
It emphasised making industry internships a compulsory part of MTech programmes and recommended curriculum revamps across IITs “in line with their specific needs and vision.”
