The State Budget has introduced a Chief Minister’s Researchers Scholarship scheme, offering a monthly fellowship of ₹10,000 to full-time PhD scholars in universities and other higher education institutions.
The scheme, announced by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, will apply to researchers who do not receive any other fellowships provided by the Central government to State-run universities.
Besides, an amount of ₹13.40 crore is set apart for establishing Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in the higher education sector. The government had accorded administrative sanction for establishing seven CoEs in various parts of the State.
Additionally, sanction has been accorded for establishing a CoE in Neurodegeneration and Brain Health in the Cochin University of Science and Technology, and a CoE in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Mahatma Gandhi University, at outlays of ₹69 crore and ₹62 crore respectively. The Thanu Padmanabhan Centre of Excellence in Astronomy and Astrophysics, proposed to be established in Kerala University, has also been granted in-principal administrative sanction.
Furthermore, four CoEs that come under the purview of the Science and Technology Department are in various stages of execution. These include the Kerala School of Mathematics, Institute for Climate Change Studies, CoE in nutraceuticals, and CoE in microbiomes.
Published – February 07, 2025 07:35 pm IST
