Ministry of Earth Sciences and AcSIR Sign MoU for Joint PhD Programmes Across All Ten MoES Research Institutes

Key facts

• The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recognising all ten MoES research institutes as AcSIR Associated Research Institutes for joint doctoral programmes.
• Students selected under AcSIR's PhD programme will conduct research at MoES institutes under MoES scientists recognised as AcSIR faculty, with AcSIR awarding the doctoral degree and explicitly naming the host institute on the certificate.
• All ten MoES institutes are participating in AcSIR's latest PhD enrolment cycle, with nodal AcSIR coordinators appointed at each institute and a Central Coordinator at MoES.
• The collaboration offers doctoral opportunities in specialised earth system science fields including weather forecasting and climate services, numerical weather prediction, polar and cryosphere research, ocean observation and marine robotics, deep-sea mining and desalination, seismology and earthquake hazard assessment, coastal processes, marine living resources, and AI/ML applications in earth sciences.
• Intellectual Property Rights generated from research will credit the student as inventor, while joint intellectual property will be shared mutually.
• MoES Secretary Dr. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala said the ministry will benefit significantly from the partnership for the benefit of the earth science faculty and researchers.