Dr Jitendra Singh launches mentorship prog for Young Innovators with DBT

Star College Mentorship Programme will help young scientists and students to innovate and find solutions to future challenges through peer learning and hand-holding 

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched the first-ever mentorship programme for Young Innovators.

Dr Singh said that the pan India Scheme envisages Star College in every district of the country supported by the Department of Biotechnology.

The DBT-Star College Mentorship Programme will help towards the concept of networking, hand-holding and outreach. The plan envisages organising workshops, meetings per month; handhold at colleges particularly in the rural areas or lesser endowed areas and conducting outreach activities with government schools. 

The activities will enable newer colleges that have begun their journey under the scheme to come up as per the mandate of the Star college scheme. The Star Status Colleges will help in incorporating the vision of DBT towards strengthening UG Science Courses throughout the country by mentoring the newer colleges through hand-holding and peer learning and bringing them under the aegis of Star College Scheme, the Minister added.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that a total of 278 undergraduate colleges across the country are currently being supported under the DBT Star College Scheme. He noted that recently 55 colleges from rural areas and 15 colleges in Aspirational districts are being supported under the scheme in a short period of two years. 

The scheme also supports the training of faculty and laboratory staff, lectures by eminent scientists, visits to research institutes and industry etc. This type of holistic support is expected to create enabling environment for students to get motivated and pursue science education, the minister added. 

PIB