Hyderabad: Telangana State Council of Science & Technology (TSCOST), which facilitates preparing state Scheduled Tribes (ST) plans, have called for the inauguration of the newly built ST and SC cell in Warangal on May 5.
Built at a cost of Rs 8.08 crore, the cell will be inaugurated by Telangana IT and urban development minister KT Rama Rao.
TSCOST is supported and catalyzed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India in accordance with its mandate and major responsibility of promotion of science and technology throughout Telangana.
DST through the Science for Equity, Empowerment & Development (SEED) Division, sanctioned the SC & ST cell project to the TSCOST to be implemented over a period of three years.
Upliftment and empowerment of the marginalized section of society through Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) interventions is the objective of the cell.
The project involves scientific studies, surveys, the development of a GIS-based decision support system, and the implementation of relevant technology interventions for the development of SC and ST communities.
Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), the planning department, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU) are assigned specific tasks for the project that would be taken up in two phases.
Phase I includes Scientific Studies, Surveys by CESS, TISS and the development of a GIS-based decision support system by JNAFAU while phase II includes interaction with Central Research Institutions for the transfer of technologies which are need-based, area-based and sector-specific for the development of SC and ST communities.
TSCOST carries out its activities through wings such as Regional Science Centre, SC & ST Cell, Innovation Hub, Patent Information Centre (PIC), and DBT-Skill Vigyan Initiative to carry out its activities.
Regional science centre
Regional Science Centre (RSC), Warangal is responsible for various science communication and popularization processes in Telangana.
It is located on a hillock having an aerial extent of 15 acres on Hunter Road, Hanankonda at a central location of three towns.
RSC organizes various science popularization activities by observing National Scientific Days like World Ozone Day, Renewable Energy Day, National Pollution Prevention Day, National Science Day, and National Mathematics Day, by way of conducting lectures and competitions among the students.
Apart from this, students from remote areas of Telangana visit the premises of RSC as part of the exposure visit to scientific and technological institutions.
Innovation hub
TSCOST submitted a proposal to the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, and Government of India for the establishment of an Innovation Hub at the Regional Science Centre, Warangal.
NCSM accorded approval for Innovation Hub and the works relating to its establishment are in progress.
Innovation ‘Hubs’ and ‘Clubs’ would help to engage youth in innovative and creative activities.
These would serve as springboards for new ideas and innovation and thus helping the society and economy to face future challenges and meet the rising aspirations of the growing population.
Specifically, embedding such creative pedagogies in science education through Innovation ‘Hubs’ and ‘Clubs’, would have the potential to retain talent in modern science.
Hall of Fame, Innovation Resource Centre, Idea Lab, Design Studio, Break and Make Corner, and Idea Box are the facilities available at the hub.
The lab will have the necessary basic facilities to pursue creative and innovative activities that involve model making, basic science experimentation, design and fabrication of useful gadgets of practical use, teaching and learning kits or aids for better classroom transactions, testing of samples like soil, water, food items etc.
Students can learn more by doing things practically, using day-to-day scrap, while they can also generate their own innovative ideas and create an idea bank from which the best ideas will be chosen for experimentation, model-making, and project work.
Patent Information Centre (PIC)
TSCOST is implementing the project titled Patent Information Centre (PIC) in Telangana for establishing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) cells in various universities and institutions.
The number of IPR cells being set up at the state universities is about 15. The DST, GoI accorded approval for the PIC in Telangana with an annual budget of Rs 25.01 lakhs for 2022-23.
TSCOST inducted the DST-approved manpower which includes a project scientist and a project associate under PIC.
The main objectives of IPR cells include conducting various programs on innovations at various institutions, streamlining, drafting and guiding the filing of patents, and exposure to various patents available by maintaining a data file.
For this, TSCOST has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RGUKT-IIIT, Basara while they have also planned to collaborate with Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM), T-Hub, Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), T-Works, We-Hub and Technology Information Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) to strengthen the PIC and outreach easily to Researches, Scientists.
Skill Vigyan Initiative
Department of Biotechnology, Government of India sanctioned the project under the ‘skill vigyan’ initiative to TSCOST with the sanctioned budget of Rs 319.7 lakhs to be implemented over a period of 3 years.
The main objectives include developing skills of youth, faculty and research scholars in the biotechnology sector, and familiarizing the youth of Telangana to make them best suited for industry, research and entrepreneurship.
For this, the TSCOST entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sector Skill Development Councils i.e. Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC) and Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI).
The various Partner Institutions involved in Skill Vigyan Initiative are the National Institute of Pharmaceuticals Education & Research (NIPER), the Institute of Biotechnology, PJST State Agricultural University, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology (CPMB), Centre for Biotechnology, IST, JNT University and Forest College and Research Institute. The project is being implemented from year 2021-22.
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