Kolkata, Sept. 16 -- West Bengal plans to strengthen collaboration between universities and research institutions in the state and those elsewhere in India and abroad, while encouraging Bengali researchers and professors working outside the state to contribute to Bengal's scientific ecosystem, Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said on Wednesday. Speaking at the 33rd West Bengal State Science & Technology Congress in New Town, he said institutions must be strengthened to encourage more students to pursue higher education and research in Bengal.
Chattopadhyay also called for Bengali researchers across India and abroad to undertake academic and research work connected with Bengal and urged greater institutional and government-to-government partnerships. He asked universities to accept research papers in Bengali, citing the National Education Policy 2020 and its emphasis on higher education and research in the mother tongue.
The Department of Science & Technology and Biotechnology has proposed developing Bengali scientific terminology with scientists, linguists and scholars. Research abstracts at the Congress have been published in both English and Bengali, while the department has urged universities and scientific societies to publish quality Bengali research journals.
An MoU between IIT Kharagpur and the DSTBT will facilitate testing innovations in real-life settings and developing affordable, scalable solutions. Another agreement with NATMO will enable the preparation of a State Atlas covering panchayats and municipalities, along with a Braille map.
Foundation stones were also laid for an Astro Park in Krishnanagar, Nadia, in collaboration with the National Council of Science Museums, and a satellite Biotech Hub in Kalimpong.
The two-day Congress, being held on September 16 and 17, was attended by Science and Technology Minister Kalyan Chakraborti, minister of state Moumita Biswas Mishra, School Education Minister Dipak Barman and DSTBT additional chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.