Guwahati: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will serve as a mentor to encourage start-ups in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as wealth creators and problem solvers.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, has asked government agencies, including the Department of Science & Technology, Technology Development Board, and BIRAC, to reach out to potential Start-Ups and support them, in addition to supporting those who reach us.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, speaking to students and faculty at an interaction meeting on "Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research" (INSPIRE) Program beneficiaries in Moradabad, UP, called for a massive nationwide hunt for innovative young minds and potential start-ups, as they will shape India's future economy.

The Minister emphasised that the INSPIRE programme is strengthening the country's R&D foundation by creating a pipeline of quality human resources and fostering a talent pool. He emphasised the importance of attracting brilliant young children into science and providing them with a supportive, creative, and demanding educational environment beginning in elementary school so that they can become great entrepreneurs and job creators through new companies. The programme drew more than 100 students/recipients of INSPIRE Fellowships, INSPIRE Scholarships, and INSPIRE-MANAK.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' in May this year, in which Modi stated, "Today India's Startup ecosystem is not limited to just big cities, but entrepreneurs are emerging from smaller cities and towns as well, demonstrating that in India, the one who has an innovative idea, can create wealth," Dr Jitendra Singh stated.

"According to various reports, about 50 percent of Startups hail from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, spanning many states.

Taking a cue from the Prime Minister's call for proper startup mentoring, Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that the Department of Science and Technology will take on the mentorship role to promote start-ups in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as wealth creators and problem solvers in industries, agriculture, and dairy sectors, as well as E-commerce, Fin-Tech, Ed-Tech, and Bio-Tech. He expressed his delight that Uttar Pradesh is quickly catching up in the Start-up environment, which was formerly dominated by Southern states.

According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, the DST conceptualised, designed, developed, and is now implementing the INSPIRE Scheme to attract meritorious youth to study natural sciences subjects at the college and university level, as well as to pursue research careers in both basic and applied science areas such as engineering, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary sciences. With numerous components, the INSPIRE Scheme serves students aged 10 to 32.

Dr. Jitendra Singh remarked of the INSPIRE Awards MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge), "This is a unique project to attract bright school children at an early age to study science and pursue research careers, as well as to build a culture of innovation among them."

The scheme is aimed at schoolchildren aged 10–15 years who are in classes 6–10. Every year, the INSPIRE Award MANAK initiative seeks ten lakh ideas from more than five lakh middle and high schools across the country, according to him. One lakh ideas received the INSPIRE Award of Rs. 10,000/-apiece. To date, over 16 lakh children from grades 6 to 10 have offered their ideas on a nationwide S&T platform.

Similarly, INSPIRE Internship strives to provide exposure to the top 1% of Class X Board students by organising Science Camps in the summer or winter that allow them to connect with science giants from India and overseas, including Nobel Laureates, and experience the delights of scientific endeavour.

More than 1900 INSPIRE Internship Camps have been held across the country so far, with about 4 lakh students in the 11th and 12th grades taking advantage of the opportunity.

Through appealing scholarship and mentorship opportunities, the Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) component of INSPIRE aims to encourage deserving students to study basic and natural sciences at the undergraduate level.

Every year, the INSPIRE Fellowship component awards 1000 Fellowships to outstanding students between the ages of 22 and 27 to pursue Ph.D. degrees in basic and applied disciplines such as engineering, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary sciences.

INSPIRE FACULTY FELLOWSHIP gives possibilities for 100 people each year with a Ph.D. in the age range of 27-32 years to conduct post-doctoral research in both basic and applied science areas such as engineering, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary sciences for 5 years. So far, about 1400 faculty fellowships have been offered to young doctorate students in order for them to establish themselves as independent researchers in the Global S&T Community and build a career in R&D.