Spirit of inquiry, creativity
and innovativeness are some of the natural
endowments bestowed upon human beings, which
are the keys to transformation of life. These
factors, when manifested in the form of research,
open new frontiers of knowledge, which is
instrumental for all forms of development.
Perhaps, this is the reason for which research
is recognized as one of the core functions
of the universities/institutions of higher
learning and the universities have been rendering
this responsibility with utmost diligence.
Indias noteworthy progress in the
field of Information Technology, Energy and
Space etc are the outcome of consistent endeavour
of our intellectual resources. India, currently
producing a solid core of knowledge workers
in tertiary and scientific and technical education
and its economy and industrial sector
set for an unparalleled growth is poised
to become the future global knowledge hub. However, the onus lies
largely on our Higher Education system and
particularly on our universities.
But, of late, research has become a
subservient component in the university functioning.
Resource constraints, lack of commitment,
proper incentive etc., are the impediments
that are affecting the quality of research
in our institutions of higher education. Other
important factors for the deterioration of
the quality of research are the absence of
adequate training and other capacity building
endeavour in our system, which have restricted
candidates creativity only to rote memory.
On the contrary, their potential should be nurtured and
exploited for the benefit of the society.
The current boom in Indian economy signaling
an era of transformation should provide ample
opportunity for success to innovative young
brains to become trend setters and role models
of a
vibrant India.
Recently, AIU has undertaken initiative
to collaborate with many foreign universities
to augment scholarship for the deserving candidates
qualifying in the National Research Convention.
Countries like Canada, Netherland and
Germany have shown interest in selecting the
candidates from amongst those qualifying at
the National
level of Research
Convention and are willing to offer them
research fellowships if found suitable.
After discussion with the President, Netherland
Association of Universities (VSNU), we agreed
upon to identify the research fellows having
minimum eligibility criteria and aptitude
for research. Therefore, the following criteria
are proposed to be followed henceforth
Objectives
·
To
identify young talents with research aptitude
and interest to take up research as career.
·
To
promote the talent in research throughout
the country.
·
To
nurture the talent through specialized training
and education in some of the nationally and
internationally reputed premier institutions
of higher learning in the country.
·
To
augment financial and physical resources through
collaboration with different sponsors for
supporting education and training of the young
researchers.
·
To
provide proper incentives to enhance the skill
of potential candidates
·
To
initiate an intensive research culture in
a selected group of institutions
Areas/Fields
The areas/fields in which Projects are invited will be
made limited to the following disciplines/subjects
as mentioned below:
a.
Basic
Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics,
Botany, Zoology) and related disciplines.
b.
Allied
Sciences (Bio chemistry, Bio physics, Biotechnology,
Environmental science, Energy Science, Bio
informatics, Computer science, Genetics, Micro
Biology, Electronics, Nano-Science and related
disciplines.
c.
Engineering
and Information Technology and related disciplines.
Entry of individual projects only allowed in the Research
Convention.
Type of Project
Entries
of the research projects will be purely Institutional,
endorsed and signed by the competent authority
of the university. Projects on the above mentioned areas must have
undergone some exploration/ ground work in
order to show its impact
·
The
duration of the convention will be three
days
·
The
convention will be held in Three Phases.
i.
At
the First
Phase, each university is required to
select best projects in the above mentioned
areas and send their registration form to
the Association of Indian Universities while
the copy of the registration form with the
detail project should be sent to the concerned
university of respective zone organizing the
zonal level convention.
ii.
In
the Second Phase, the Zonal level
convention will be held and best projects
will be selected for entry in the National level Convention.
iii.
In
the Third Phase, the exhibition/presentations
will be held at National
level. The Association of Indian
Universities will call the successful projects
of phase two at zonal level competition, for
National Research Convention.
The projects will
be assessed by a panel of experts drawn from
various disciplines. The candidates whose projects will be selected
in the final stage at national level convention
will be promoted though proper incentives
for career development in research.
Criteria for Assessment of Projects
All the projects
will be assessed on the basis of following
criteria. Each criterion is assigned some weightage.
The final selection of projects will
be based on the cumulative weighatage given
on all criteria.
·
Scientific Thoughts and Principles
· Creativity
· Thoroughness
· Skill
· Relevance
· Cost Effectiveness
·
Theoretical knowledge of the area of research
·
Command in English
Apart from the above criteria, Scope of Commercialization of the
projects will be considered as an additional
merit. However, there will be no weightage
point for this criterion. In case of the projects
having scored equal cumulative weightage point,
this criterion will be considered for making
the final decision.
Eligibility for
Participation
·
Postgraduates who have completed the degree with good second Division and enrolled in Research
·
Candidates
appearing in final year exam of Masters Programme
·
Interested Junior lecturers may also be allowed to participate and present their
project proposals in the Research Convention.
Entry/Registration Fee for Zonal and National
level Convention
Entry
fee for Zonal and National Level- Rs. 500/-
(per member)
(The entry fee
for Zonal and National level in the form of
Demand Drafts, drawn in favour of Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, the filled in Registration form with project
details should be sent to Association of Indian
Universities with a copy to the coordinator
of the Organizing
University)
Board and Lodging
At
zonal level, the host university will make
the arrangement for accommodation; breakfast,
lunch and dinner.
Those requiring such facilities may
contact the Coordinator of the host university. The name and address of the coordinators of
Zonal and National Conventions to be intimated
shortly.
Responsibility
of Organizers
AIU
·
Identifying
agencies for providing sponsorship to candidates
selected and for conducting national level
convention.
·
Identifying
universities at Zonal/National level for organizing
the convention.
·
Financial
support to the host university (AIU will pay
some amount as a seed money to each
university conducting the Convention at the
Zonal/ National levels.
Host University
·
Sending
circulars to constituent colleges for inviting
projects from the candidates.
·
Board,
lodging (on reasonable charges) and other
logistics for participants , observers, Local
coordination in organizing the three-day programme
·
Selection of experts: The panel of experts (preferably retired academicians
from the Host University as well as adjoining
institutions, personnel from local industries)
should have at least one expert in each area/
field.
·
TA/DA
and token honorarium to each expert will be
covered from the seed money paid by AIU and
the resources of university.
University may generate the financial
support from funding agencies eg. DST, CSIR,
UGC, DBT, Environment Ministry etc.
Registration Form for Zonal Level Competition
Name:
Father/Guardians name:
.
Name of the college/ institute/university
Zone: East/West/North/South
Discipline
Title of the Project:
Address for Communication:
..
.
.
Phone: (Off)
(Res)
(Mob)
.
Fax
.. E-mail:
DD No. & Date________________________ Amount _______________
Accommodation required: Yes / No
Date
. Signature of Nominee
(Signature of the
Competent Authority)
Please send the filled-in Registration Form, Demand
Draft and Abstract of the project, etc to:
Assistant Director & I/c Research Division
Coordinator, Research
Convention
Research Division
Association of
Indian Universities
New Delhi 110
002
Phone: (011) 23230059,
Fax: (011) 23232131
Email: aiuresearch@yahoo.co.in/research@aiuweb.org
Website: www. aiuweb.org
With a Copy to: The Coordinator, Research Convention, Organizing the Zonal Level Competition
