DBT STAR

The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science &Technology, Government of India has developed the Star College Scheme in 2018 with a goal to improve life science and biotechnology teaching and training at undergraduate level. The goal is to promote critical thinking and ‘hands on’ experimental work in the cutting edge-technologies needed for current biological research at undergraduate (college) level in life sciences and as a result of such experiences, more students will take up life science as an immediate profession.

DBT has chosen institutions with high ambitions and potential for success, and has provided the academic and physical facilities necessary to achieve excellence in teaching and offer students with a unique exposure to experimental research. Colleges that successfully implement the approach are maintained as Life science ‘Star Colleges'.

OBJECTIVES

DBT has the objective to improve upon the existing physical as well as academic infrastructures and also to widen the resources by procuring new equipment to promote teaching and learning to the next level. It also aims to promote networking among neighboring institutions to share the facilities and expertise thereby the teacher as well as the students get exposure to varied research and laboratories. It enhances the quality of teaching and learning through specialized programmes which offer the tools to cope up with the new era advances in the industry and research.

Implementation at HICAS

The DBT has supported around 200 undergraduate colleges across the country in the past 9 years. At HiCAS, DBT has sanctioned “Star College Scheme” to 4 undergraduate science departments viz., Mathematics, Microbiology, Computer Science and Biotechnology. These departments involved in the STAR college programme carry out the DBT activities excellently and meet the objectives at all levels. This has greatly increased our ability to improve our pupils' experiential learning. Apart from financial support, our college has benefited tremendously from the guidance received from Advisory Committee Meetings, mentoring, Task Force Meetings and learning from peers in other colleges.