ROURKELA: In a bid to give boost to research and development (R&D) activities, the National Institute of Technology - Rourkela (NIT-R) has linked its Centralised Instrumentation Facility (CIF) with I-STEM portal for pan-India accessibility. The portal - Indian Science, Technology and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM) - launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently serves as a gateway for researchers to locate and access specific facilities they need for their R&D work.
The researchers can check, reserve and have easy access to even expensive research equipment and facilities anywhere in India. The NIT-Rourkela boasts of massive infrastructure for R&D in most branches of engineering and science. For optimum utilisation and effective management, the high-end equipment have been brought under the single umbrella of CIF for easy access to the research community of the institute.
Institute sources informed that some new laboratories have been planned for the CIF with sophisticated and modern analytical equipment for innovations in keeping pace with global developments. The CIF also aims to extend testing and analysis facility to its students and faculty members, acquire and develop capability for preventive maintenance, repair of high-end instruments and allow use of its facilities to academic institutions, R&D labs and industries against payment.
As per the Ministry of Human Resource Development mandate, the NIT-R has linked the CIF with I-STEM portal and provided details of its 309 equipment from 15 departments. NIT-R spokespersons Prof Kamalakanta Mohapatra said with the CIF getting access to external users, visibility of the institute would rise manifold and boost internal resource generation. Similarly, researchers of NIT-R could get access to facilities of other institutions, he added.
Scheme Details
Gateway for researchers to locate and access specific facilities needed for R&D work
New labs planned for CIF with sophisticated and modern analytical equipment
CIF linked with I-STEM portal and provides details of 309 equipment