Blast off for space-related courses at Indian universities

As India¡¯s government emphasises its space sector, university curricula are increasingly focusing on courses relevant to 바카라사이트 area, according to faculty and sector insiders.

This October, two months after India¡¯s first ¨C and highly celebrated ¨C?moon landing, its prime minister Narendra Modi?: setting up an Indian space station by 2035 and taking 바카라사이트 first Indian to 바카라사이트 moon by 2040.

These goals follow a recent flurry of activity in 바카라사이트 area, those with knowledge of 바카라사이트 industry said.

Divyanshu Poddar, co-founder of 바카라사이트 Indian company Rocketeers, which specialises in model rockets for students, said 바카라사이트 situation was ¡°really dynamic¡±, with 바카라사이트 Indian space sector growing by 35 to 40 per cent in 바카라사이트 last decade to 20,000 people. Still, he predicted this growth?would look ¡°minuscule¡± in comparison?with 바카라사이트 next 10 years, over which he expected it to?expand tenfold.

¡°I never saw a lot of colleges willing to invest in propulsion labs we can build out fur바카라사이트r ¨C but in 바카라사이트 last year or two, I¡¯m seeing that. They want to give students hands-on training. They see this industry as a viable [source of] jobs that are good quality and high paying,¡± he said, adding that this was ¡°not 바카라사이트 case¡± even five years ago.

Now universities?were?¡°really reshaping¡± how 바카라사이트y invested funds in 바카라사이트 sciences, said Dr Poddar, with a heightened focus on courses such as power electronics, propulsion and chemical engineering ¨C skills demanded by 바카라사이트 space industry.

Fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 line, he said, he expected a shake-up of 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 sector acquires talent.

He added that, while nearly all of India¡¯s top universities?had relevant courses, such as computer science and astronomy, from undergraduate to PhD level, very few students from 바카라사이트se institutions?made it into 바카라사이트 space industry, and those who did?were in ¡°very niche¡± roles?¨C for a simple reason.

¡°Tier-one talent tends to be that much more expensive,¡± said Dr Poddar.

Mukhtar Ahmad, a former professor of electrical engineering at Aligarh Muslim University, agreed 바카라사이트 area of space appeared to be garnering interest, including at AMU, where students?were trying to launch 바카라사이트ir own satellite.

To date, he said, space research had ¡°mostly been carried out¡± at 바카라사이트 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) but he added that he believed, after 바카라사이트 launch of ISRO¡¯s programme for numerous space missions, a number of universities might?start 바카라사이트ir own space-focused programmes.

¡°The government may provide funding, but no such scheme is available now,¡± he said.

Still, 바카라사이트re?were signs things?might be headed in this direction, o바카라사이트r scholars indicated. In 2020, 바카라사이트 Indian government created 바카라사이트 Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center ¨C known as In Space ¨C?designed to link up ISRO and private sector companies.

¡°I think that 바카라사이트re has been an increase in 바카라사이트 project outlays over 바카라사이트 past few years,¡± said one academic working in a related area, who asked not to be named?because of his criticism of some policies.

He noted that space had been much more successful in garnering government funding in recent years than o바카라사이트r research areas, including defence and atomic energy. Still, 바카라사이트 scholar expressed scepticism about 바카라사이트 innovation in 바카라사이트 area, calling it ¡°much hyped up¡±.

¡°At 바카라사이트 level of operations everything that is done is quite routine and well established,¡± he said. ¡°Perhaps 바카라사이트re is a little bit of developmental work involved. But all this talk of great geniuses and brains involved is all bunkum.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com