On January 18, 2018, Union HRD Minister , Mr. Prakash Javadekar inaugurated few facilities at IIT Madras Research Park. On this occasion, the minister appreciated the research initiatives of IIT Madras. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Javadekar revealed that the HRD Ministry would constitute a panel or committee to review the progress of Research Parks across various IITs. The central government has funded research parks at IISc Bangalore , IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati , IIT Kanpur , IIT Hyderabad , IIT Kharagpur , IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Bombay , he added.
The research park at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has been operational since 2010. At present, the research parks at other IITs are in the different stages of completion.
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Mr. Javadekar urged the IITs to carry out socially relevant research. The HRD Ministry panel will review the research works of premier institutes, and find out whether these institutes are carrying out socially relevant research or not. He exhorted that the research park and research works of IIT Madras can be replicated across the country.
Appreciating IIT Madras, Mr. Javadekar cited that the premier institute played a supreme role in promoting Indian companies and universities to fund research in India rather than abroad. Expressing his concern on the research work of IIMs , the HRD Minister pointed that the premier management institutes are not evincing interest to carry out research activities on socially relevant issues like pre and after effects of demonetisation, feeling of people regarding demonetisation and others.
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He called Indian researchers, innovators and scientists working abroad to come back to India and innovate in an area where India is lagging behind.
During the inaugural session new facilities at IIT Madras, Mr. Javadekar announced the launch of ‘Smart Campus’ campaign. The new initiative will have different components like conserving, saving and recycling of water. Mr. Javadekar called the researchers to come up with solutions for conserving the environment.