The University of Calicut getting a grant of ₹10.78 crore under the Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) scheme of the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, is expected to boost research on reducing fossil-fuel dependency and minimising the emission of greenhouse gases.
According to university sources, the allocated funds will be utilised mainly for the purchase of high-end research equipment. The approved project would be pursued collectively in the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Nanoscience and Technology, and the Centre for Photonics. It would focus on the catalyst-aided generation, safe storage and utilisation of hydrogen and other renewable fuels using designed molecules and materials.
The sources claimed that this highly competitive and coveted grant was sanctioned after the evaluation of the university’s potential for research, its ranking under the National Institute Ranking Framework as well as the merits of the submitted research proposal. The university was selected from 80 applicants that included several Central, State and private universities. A team comprising Abraham Joseph, Rajeev S. Menon, and Fazalurahman of the Department of Chemistry and Shibu E.S. from the Department of Nanoscience and Technology represented the university in the final presentation held at the University of Gauhati, Assam.
The team members thanked the initiatives taken by M.K. Jayaraj, Vice Chancellor, for strengthening the research ecosystem on the campus. They include a new directorate of projects and awarding of seed money grants for research to faculty members. It is reported to be the highest grant amount ever awarded to any university in Kerala under the PURSE scheme.
