DBT Star College

Introduction

Star College Scheme has been initiated by DBT in 2008 to support colleges and universities offering undergraduate education to improve science teaching across the country. DBT is committed to the values of,

• Pursuit of excellence
• Academic and intellectual freedom
• Creativity and innovation
• Diversity
• Cooperation and Communication
• Accountability

DBT has therefore, launched a scheme for improving critical thinking and 'hands on' experimental work at undergraduate (college) level in sciences. It is expected to encourage, more students to take up higher education in science. DBT will identify colleges with ambition and potential for excellence and provide academic and physical infrastructure for achieving excellence in teaching and unique exposure of students to experimental science. Department has supported around 200 undergraduate colleges across the country in the past 9 years. Apart from financial support, colleges have benefited tremendously from guidance received in Advisory Committee Meetings, mentoring, Task Force Meetings and learning from peers in other colleges.

Objectives

• To strengthen the academic and physical infrastructure for achieving excellence in teaching and training.
• To enhance the quality of the learning and teaching process to stimulate original thinking through 'hands-on' exposure to experimental work and participation in summer schools.
• To promote networking and strengthen ties with neighbouring institutions and other laboratories.
• To conduct specialized training programmes for faculty improvement for optimizing technical capabilities.
• To increase capabilities of core instrumentation resources by procuring new equipment and upgrading existing facilities
• To provide access and exposure to students to research laboratories and industries in the country.
• To help in devising standard curricula and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) / kits for practical.
• To provide better library facility to students and teachers.