Phase 2 of Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme launched

• The Scheme to promote research in 42 emerging technologies in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and Information Technology (IT)/ Information Technology Enabled Services(ITES).
• IT Minister on occasion said that results of 1st phase of the scheme are really encouraging with 63 global patents.
• Phase II of the scheme aims to support 1000 Full Time PhD Candidates, 150 Part Time PhD Candidates and 50 Young Faculty Research Fellowships.

Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics & IT

• The scheme was launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to enhance the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors in the country.
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the scheme in 2014 for a period of nine years with a total estimated cost of ₹ 466 crores (Rupees Four Hundred Sixty Six Crores Only)

Objectives:

• Give thrust to R&D, create an innovative ecosystem and enhance India’s competitiveness in above mentioned knowledge intensive sectors.
• To fulfil the commitments made in National Policy on Electronics (NPE 2012) and National Policy on Information Technology (NPIT 2012).
• The policies recommend to give special thrust on significantly increasing the number of PhDs in the country to enable India to compete globally in the coming decades, to develop an ecosystem of research, development and IP creation in these knowledge intensive sectors.

Salient features of the PhD Scheme

• The Scheme provides 25% more fellowship amount than most of the other PhD Schemes.
• Part-time PhD candidates get one time incentive on completion of the PhD.
• Scheme also supports 200 Young Faculty Research Fellowships in the areas of ESDM and IT/ITES with the objective to retain and attract bright young faculty members in these sectors.