A parliamentary panel on Tuesday said the higher education department of the Ministry of Education should conduct a third party evaluation about patents and products created by the incubation centres in IITs and assess the job creation potential as well as other features of the products and services created by the incubated entities. It also recommended that the Ministry should explore the possibility of introducing a common exam for appointment of faculty and non-faculty members for all centrally-funded educational institutions by the National Testing Agency or the UPSC so that an independent cadre can be created.
In its report on Demands for Grants for 2021-22 of the Department of Higher Education, the Department-related Standing Committee on Education, Women Children, Youth and Sports also recommended that the University Grants Commission (UGC) should explore the possibility of evolving new courses on emerging branches of knowledge such as glacial studies or geodynamics, remote sensing, and other related disciplines.
“The Committee further recommends that with a view to giving impetus to boosting research and innovation in the country, the department (of higher education) should try to simplify the procedure and reduce the cost for granting patents for researchers from both government and non-government organisations,” the report said.
The panel also recommended that the department prepare a plan for enhancing investment in new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), nano technology and data analysis with special focus on agriculture, healthcare and education as these sectors have the potential for creating large-scale employment.
The panel headed by Vinay Sahasrabuddhe also said that the department should set up a study group to devise a plan to train the human resource for the jobs to be created in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, block chain, quantum computing and mixed reality.
