CSIR - Spearheading research in key areas

Though the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has numerous achievements in diverse fields of science, it often highlights certain specific areas, some of which are indicated below.

 

Aerospace

CSIR has many successes in the field of aerospace. It has been at the forefront in pushing the country's aerospace programme to new heights with path-breaking research at the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore. NAL has spearheaded the effort to design and develop small and medium-sized aircraft for the civil sector. Other CSIR laboratories, such as the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation

(CSIO), National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC) have also made significant contributions to this hi-tech sector

Affordable health care

CSIR has set healthy benchmarks in making health care affordable for the common man.It has achieved several landmarks in drugs and pharmaceuticals.There are discoveries in the fields of biological science, cancer control, genetic diversity, and therapeutic strategies. Contributions in affordable life-saving drug development including anti-malarial drugs, oral insulin, hepatitis B vaccine, and anti-HIV cocktail are significant.

Sustainable energy

CSIR aims at utilising resources judiciously and working toward sustaining energy. It has taken several initiatives to optimise energy in a manner which is ecologically sound. Depleting reserve of crude oil leads to the quest for cleaner and alternative fuels. Adoption of Euro III and Euro IV equivalent emission norms and recycling of steel industry waste are some of the notable steps.

Chemistry and environment

There are several significant landmarks. In the field of chemical sciences and technology, such as studies in supramolecular chemistry, carbon microtubes developed using pyrolysis, development of speciality polymer for use in petroleum products, industrial metal finishing, and efficient waste water treatment.The Reverse Osmosis Plant set up by CSIR generates million of litres of RO water per day ensuring a source of safe drinking water to thousands of people.The council has developed reverse osmosis (RO) membranes based on the state-of-the-art thin film composite (TFC) membrane technology for desalination of brackish water.

Smart and functional materials

Significant achievements in the areas of developing smart and functional materials span across the development of the biometric synthesis of inorganic nano-particles using microgravity, development of useful reinforced composites, and briquetting techniques for economical use of steel plant waste.

Engineering structure / design and electronics

The council spearheads research in engineering structure and design. The development of mechanised casting of reinforced concrete cored units for roof/ floor in the most cost-effective manner at Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee is a case in point.What is mentioned above is only a list of some of the areas focused. 

CSIR has schemes for providing a better life to our millions, bringing solutions in the area of health, agriculture, and energy. Innovations cover a varied range of technologies such as mechanised agriculture, low-cost housing, new cultivation techniques, waterpurification techniques, and use of ceramic products.

AcSIR: The ‘Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research' (AcSIR) is an initiative that focuses on research and training in areas not ordinarily covered by the existing universities in India.There is an overlap of physical, chemical and biological sciences in nature and therefore there is a need to study the interfaces and possible synergies among the laws of physics, chemistry and life sciences, in order to make path-breaking contributions in science and engineering. AcSIR would focus on multidisciplinary research.

The Academy, an ‘institution of national importance' will operate on the hub and spokes model with campuses in the CSIR laboratories spread across the country. The goals of AcSIR include efforts to increase science component in engineering promote engineering mindset to life sciences, and mimic life science in machines, as in bio-inspired devices.

It is believed that the future leadership in the area of science and engineering would much depend on its strength in integrated and interdisciplinary areas.There is shortage of institutions that offer Ph.D. and other advanced courses in such areas. AcSIR that is conceived as a world-class institution will fill the gap to a large extent.

The five clusters that offer an array of courses are — engineering science, physical science, information science, life science and chemical science.

The CSIR labs

The main centres of research under the control of CSIR are listed below. 

An awareness of the existence of such a large number of laboratory facilities under the umbrella of the council will certainly help us in identifying the best institution for research in science or engineering to be undertaken by each student. We shall take up these one by one and discuss briefly the facilities of research offered by each.

1. Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee
2. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad
3. Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow
4. Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi
5. Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani
6. Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad
7. Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore
8. Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Kolkata
9. Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai
10. Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow
11. Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur
12. Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi
13. Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh
14. Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagar
15. Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi
16. Institute of Himalayan Bioresources Technology (IHBT), Palampur
17. Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata
18. Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad
19. Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun
20. Institute of Microbial Technology (IIMTECH), Chandigarh
21. Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow
22. National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore
23. National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow
24. National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune
25. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur
26. National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad
27. National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa
28. National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), New Delhi
29. National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), New Delhi
30. National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur
31. National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi
32. Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal
33. Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IIMT), Bhubaneswar
34. North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST), Jorhat
35. Indian Institute of Integrative, Medicine (IIIM), Jammu
36. National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science & Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram
37. Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC), Chennai

Besides, there are two other CSIR centres engaged in carrying out research in frontier areas of science and technology.

1. CSIR Center for Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation (CMMACS), Bangalore
2. CSIR Unit Research & Development of Information Research (URDIP), Pune

Courtesy : The Hindu