New Delhi: In a groundbreaking development aimed at advancing biotechnology research and innovation, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, announced the inauguration of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC).
The Cabinet approved this initiative on November 10, 2023, and the announcement was made during the inaugural BRIC meeting.
BRIC focuses on intensifying biotech research in healthcare, food security, and energy, aligning with PM Narendra Modi’s vision for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat. Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted India’s remarkable bio-economy growth, soaring thirteen-fold over the past decade, and emphasised the nation’s trajectory toward becoming a top-10 global player in the biotech ecosystem.
Under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will serve as the nodal agency for promoting biotechnology. The Cabinet’s approval involves consolidating 14 Autonomous Institutions (AIs) under BRIC for centralised governance, maintaining their individual research mandates while fostering collaboration with external researchers and industry partners.
To further enhance the scientific character of these institutions, BRIC will introduce new Ph.D. programs with a common curriculum and immersion training.
The restructuring adheres with the directives on ‘Rationalisation of Autonomous Bodies,’ and to the principles of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,’ aiming to improve governance, efficiency, and collaboration.
The 14 institutes under BRIC include notable names such as the National Institute of Immunology, National Center for Cell Science, and the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute.
Simultaneously, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘Zero Waste Life on Campus’ program during the BRIC Society meeting, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mission LiFE movement. This sustainability initiative aims to manage waste effectively across BRIC campuses through the application of knowledge and technologies, promoting co-responsibility.
Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that this movement, which is people oriented, would not only strengthen collaborations among BRIC institutions but also catalyse other institutions in India to adopt the concept of zero waste.
