ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has released an amount of Rs40 million for 43 research proposals submitted by researchers from public sector universities.

The HEC had launched a research grants programme in November 2002, under which teachers involved in active research work would be given mini grants for research purposes.

The creative researchers working in all academic fields of science, technology, social sciences and humanities are being awarded grants to conduct research and development work in priority areas relevant to national needs for socio-economic development of the country, said an official statement.

The HEC launched the project after realizing the fact that lack of basic equipment, laboratory supplies and scientific literature had often been a great impediment to the productivity of many creative and talented teachers, scientists and technologists in universities and research and development organizations.

The programme not only aims at providing research environment in the universities but will also strengthen indigenous capacity to reduce the exodus of talent from the country.

The maximum limit of the award is Rs2 million over a period of three years. However, scientists and scholars of meritorious research track record have been allowed to submit research proposals of 2-3 years duration for grants of Rs4 million to Rs6 million.

The HEC has also announced that tests for the award of merit and indigenous S&T scholarships for PhD studies within Pakistan would take place on September 13 for both the schemes at six centres.

The centres are Sheikh Zaiyed Islamic Centre, University of Peshawar; Higher Education Commission, H-9, Islamabad; Hailey College of Commerce, New Campus, University of the Punjab, Lahore; NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; old campus Sindh University, Hyderabad; and the Institute of Biochemistry, University of Balochistan, Quetta.

The Higher Education Commission has informed the candidates that only GRE type general test would be given in the disciplines of Maths/ Statistics, Computer/IT, Engineering while the candidates for the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences would be given subject based GRE tests.

Roll numbers to those candidates who have qualified for the tests have been issued.