Vouching for research

Jisha Surya
First Published : 13 Feb 2010

At the very first sight, the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) in Thiruvananthapuram gives us an impression of a premier research institute – right from the tight security around the campus to the highly focused and motivated approach of students.
The institute, which was formed in 1995, gives emphasis to biotechnology research in the field of health and agriculture. The RGCB is conducting pioneering research on cancer, atherosclerosis & heart disease, tuberculosis, viral infections, cholera, neurological disorders and reproductive problems.
“Being a research institute, our students are more interested in getting post doctoral fellowships abroad than immediate placements,” says Prof M Radhakrishna Pillai, director of RGCB.
A valid fellowship from the UGC/CSIR is mandatory for getting entry into the institute as a research scholar. After PG, you have to apply for the national eligibility test that takes place twice a year (normally in December and June). Eligible candidates will get admission after an interview conducted by the RGCBT.
“On agriculture research, our institution mainly focuses on spices, which is utmost important to Kerala. The institute’s experience on DNA fingerprinting and bar-coding helps in dealing with many court cases – civil and criminal. It offers Regional Facility for DNA Fingerprinting catering to the judicial and crime investigation agencies.” Pillai said. Recently, the Centre was in the news when the H1N1 flue broke out. It was the only institute in Kerala, which had the facilities to test for H1N1 virus.
“RGCB is the only institute in Kerala and one among nine in India to offer PhD in biotechnology. Our PhD programme is ranked among the top 3 in India,” Pillai said.
The centre runs as a ‘grant in aid’ institute of the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India. The government sanctioned Rs 100 crore for a period of 3 years to the centre, apart from the yearly allocation of Rs 25 crore.
“In India, mainly three types of researches take place in biotechnology – on health, agriculture and environment. The RGCB focuses on health and agriculture. The RGCB offers best available facilities for research in this field,” he added. According to Pillai, the Union Human Resource Ministry has a specified vision for the development of biotechnology. He said the institute gets enough funds for the infrastructure development.
For more details on the institute and the admissions, log onto: www.rgcb.res.in.