Guwahati: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) has joined hands with the Centre for High Technology (CHT), the technology arm of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, to boost research, innovation and industry-ready talent in the petroleum, petrochemical and clean energy sectors.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two organisations will promote joint PhD research, industry-sponsored projects, advanced training programmes and testing facilities, with a focus on emerging energy technologies and national priorities.
The centrepiece of the partnership is the CHT–IITG Research Fellowship Programme, under which up to three PhD scholars will be selected annually, with a maximum of 10 fellows supported at any given time.
The scholars will work under joint supervision, with an IIT Guwahati faculty member and a mentor from CHT or an industry partner nominated by the centre. Research topics will be identified jointly by the two organisations to ensure stronger alignment with industry needs.
The fellows will receive a stipend 25 per cent higher than the prevailing CSIR, UGC-NET or institute fellowship rates, along with house rent allowance and annual contingency support for research consumables. The fellowship will run for up to four years, with a possible one-year extension.
Candidates qualified through CSIR, UGC-NET or GATE, as well as those selected through an entrance test and interview conducted by IIT Guwahati, will be eligible. Research may be undertaken at the institute or at facilities designated by CHT and its industry partners.
The research agenda spans green hydrogen, electrolyser and fuel cell technologies, energy storage, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), CO?-to-chemicals, crude-to-chemicals, petrochemicals, polymers, catalysts, corrosion engineering and coal and biomass gasification.
Other focus areas include process intensification, water conservation, wastewater treatment, waste valorisation, alternative fuels, nanotechnology, digitalisation and cybersecurity.
Beyond doctoral research, the MoU provides for long-term sponsored research projects and the joint establishment of Centres of Excellence at IIT Guwahati to strengthen research and development in the energy sector.
The two organisations will also conduct national and international training programmes in partnership with Indian refineries. The programmes will cover refining and petrochemical technologies, corrosion and asset integrity, green hydrogen, CCUS, fire and process safety, advanced process control, biofuels, energy transition, life cycle assessment and Net Zero strategies.
The agreement will further enable IIT Guwahati to participate in CHT’s Activity Committee Meetings, giving its researchers direct exposure to operational challenges facing refineries and the wider energy industry.
Plans also include setting up sector-specific testing facilities at the institute, creating an energy think tank to advise the petroleum ministry on policy formulation, and facilitating short-term faculty sabbaticals and corporate adjunct fellowships involving industry experts in oil and gas, biofuels and green energy.
The partnership will also explore commercialisation of jointly developed technologies, including through start-ups led by their inventors.
With India’s energy sector facing the twin challenges of meeting rising demand and cutting emissions, the collaboration is expected to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial requirements while building a skilled workforce for the country’s energy transition.
IIT Guwahati director Devendra Jalihal said the partnership would connect doctoral researchers directly with the oil, gas and energy industries.
“Through jointly supervised PhD research, sponsored projects and training programmes, it will help develop solutions to real industry challenges and build the skilled workforce needed for India’s energy transition,” he said.
The MoU was signed at the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) of ONGC in Goa by IIT Guwahati Dean of Administration Sukumar Nandi and CHT executive director Sankar Gunasekaran.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Neeraj Mittal, Joint Secretary (Gas) Alok Tripathi and IIT Guwahati’s Sumit Kumar of the Department of Chemical Engineering were among those present at the signing ceremony.