PANJIM: National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Director Dr Prassanna Kumar on Wednesday said there is a dearth of students pursuing science in Goa and that NIO is facing a depletion of manpower.
Addressing the media, Prassanna said there is need to create a pool of talented human resources as manpower is depleting in NIO and the current strength is 120, whereas they require at least 200 staffers.
“Physics and mathematics is endangered as only a few students get in these streams. When we conduct interviews for recruitment we get less qualified people as the basic criteria is minimum PhD to get into NIO,” Prassanna said.
“We cannot go for expansion and less manpower hampers growth. For example, in mangrove research we hardly have any researchers. Today the average age of scientists working in NIO is 50 plus and it is fast becoming an ageing organisation. We would like to get in young fresh minds.”
Stating that NIO is actively collaborating with Sri Lanka and Kuwait, he said they are in the process of finalising a MoU with Mauritius. “We also have collaborations with other countries like France, USA and Germany but our main focus is to collaborate with countries in the Indian Ocean,” he said.
He said that recently NIO signed a MoU with Pancham Aquaculture Farms Limted, Mumbai for developing technologies and products for bioremediation of aquaculture wastes, disease diagnosis, health management and skill development.
He said the MoU will enable Pancham to identify issues relating sustainability in coastal aquaculture and CSIR-NIO with its vast experience in aquatic health research assessment and environmental management will bring scientific, technical and aquatic health solutions to the sustainable coastal aquaculture and disease management.
