Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: IIT Guwahati and the Centre for High Technology, the technical branch of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, have signed a deal to overhaul energy research. The partnership aims to align academic work with industry needs in the petroleum, petrochemical, and clean energy sectors. They signed the agreement at the Advanced Training Institute of ONGC in Goa.
The centerpiece of the collaboration is the CHT-IITG Research Fellowship Programme. It will support up to 10 PhD scholars at any time, with a maximum of three selected every year. Fellows receive a stipend 25 per cent higher than standard CSIR, UGC-NET, or institute rates. They also get house rent allowance and funds for research supplies. Scholars work for four years with a possible one-year extension. Faculty members from IIT Guwahati will supervise alongside mentors from CHT or industry partners.
Candidates must hold qualifications through CSIR, UGC-NET, GATE, or pass an IIT Guwahati entrance test and interview. Their work will cover green hydrogen, carbon capture, crude-to-chemicals, and biomass gasification. They will also look into cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and water conservation. IIT Guwahati director Devendra Jalihal believes the move is timely. "Through jointly supervised PhD research, sponsored projects and training programmes, it will help develop solutions to real industry challenges and build the skilled workforce needed for India's energy transition," he said.
The organizations plan to open Centres of Excellence and sector-specific testing facilities. They will also host training sessions with Indian refineries on biofuels, process safety, and Net Zero strategies. IIT Guwahati will join CHT Activity Committee Meetings to gain insight into refinery operations. The partnership also covers faculty sabbaticals and potential commercialization of technology via start-ups. Dean of Administration Sukumar Nandi and CHT executive director Sankar Gunasekaran signed the agreement. Union Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal attended the event.
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