A Bill to set up Regional Centre for Biotechnology, which would train skilled manpower for the sector, was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The government through an executive order in April 2009 had established the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training and Education at Faridabad. With a legislation, this institute would be able give Masters and Phd degrees, just like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
The bill to provide for the establishment of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology was introduced in Lok Sabha by Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan. Once the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 is passed, the Centre will be accorded the status of an institution of national importance.
Since India is a leader in this sector, the NDA government headed by A B Vajpayee had decided to open such an institute. Following this, an agreement was signed between India and UNESCO to set up this institution to train skilled manpower in the Indo-Pacific region.
Biotechnology sector is a unique sector and has several multi-disciplonary areas. The institute will be able to train the work force as per the requirements of the industry. The legislation would enable the institute to chalk out its own syllabus as
per the changing requirements of the sector. It would also enable other allied institutes of the Department of Biotechnology to be brought under the umbrella of this institute to give academic degrees.
