Annual Review of DBT-PGT Programme Held at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary University
Ludhiana : The College of Animal Biotechnology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (), Ludhiana, hosted the Annual Review Meeting of the DBT-sponsored Postgraduate Teaching Programme (PGT) on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Dr. J.P.S. Gill, Vice Chancellor of GADVASU, and brought together a distinguished panel of experts from academia, industry, and government.
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, supports this postgraduate initiative to foster excellence in biotechnology education and research. In his address, Dr. Gill praised the efforts of faculty and students, highlighting the importance of aligning academic research with industry needs. He noted the strength of the college’s Central Instrumentation Facility, which supports advanced molecular biology research.
Dr. R.S. Sethi, Dean of the College, shared that the DBT-sponsored Master’s programme, launched in 2021, provides a monthly stipend of ₹5000 to students who qualify the DBT GAT-B entrance exam. He presented a comprehensive overview of the programme’s milestones and academic growth. Dr. B.B.S. Dhaliwal, Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee, presented a detailed progress report on the programme’s achievements.
The review panel included:
- Prof. Mahesh Sankaran, DBT Nominee (National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore)
- Dr. Ajit Dua, Skill Expert and CEO of Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, Mohali
- Dr. Manav Inder Singh Gill, Dean of Postgraduate Studies, PAU Ludhiana
- Dr. Parveen Chhuneja, Director, Dr. G.S. Khush Institute of Genetics, PAU Ludhiana
- Mr. Nishit Singhania, Director, S Singhania (India) Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana
The session featured constructive discussions and expert feedback. Prof. Sankaran praised the quality of research being conducted under the programme. Dr. Dua acknowledged the value of the incubation and instrumentation facilities, encouraging their greater use to foster student entrepreneurship. Dr. Manav Gill emphasized the importance of properly crediting student publications, while Dr. Chhuneja proposed a centralized counselling system for DBT admissions to enhance access and transparency. Mr. Singhania called for increased national visibility for the programme through strategic promotion and outreach.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks and a renewed commitment to fostering innovation, research excellence, and academic-industry collaboration in biotechnology.
