Overview
- The Principal Scientific Adviser’s office has held consultations with the Higher Education, Science and Technology, and Biotechnology departments to shape the scheme.
- Directors of several IITs have participated in talks, with institutions indicating support for hosting returnees.
- The draft envisions targeting 12–14 priority STEM fields and offering substantial set-up grants so recruits can establish labs and teams.
- Modalities under discussion include intellectual property rights, research autonomy, onboarding, and tenure structure to overcome past procedural hurdles.
- Once finalised, the proposal will go to the Union Cabinet, as officials seek to counter brain drain and position India in a global race for academic talent influenced by US higher-education policy shifts.