Nuclear Science Centre – Inter-University
Centre of UGC
The multi cathode SNICS source was installed at NSC which improved the beam transmission through the Pelletron and also resulted in better utilization of machine time. The user base has extended further and now comprises of 67 Universities, 41 Colleges and 39 National Institutions. The accelerator augmentation programme got a boost with all the components of the indigenous resonator fabrication facility fully functional and completion of welding of the Niobium parts of the first cavity. Computerisation of the cryogenic system has considerably eased the operation of the facility. A new generation ECR source with HTSC coils has been designed in collaboration with M/s Pantechnik and ISN, Grenoble and fabrication has began. New detector set-ups for RIB experiments, light particle detection and time-of-flight were developed. An eight detector neutron array has been completed and used in experiments. New stripper foils were being developed incorporating a layer of C60 sandwiched between carbon layers. FPGA based CAMAC modules were developed and a clover electronics module developed in-house was successfully used during the INGA runs.

INGA Facility at NSC

A major event has been the setting up of the 8 clover array of Indian National Gamma Array (INGA) at the target position of the spectrometer HIRA. This national activity generated a lot of enthusiasm among the Nuclear Physics community in India. The system operated for about 6 months at a stretch with pooled resources from all the participating institutions in INGA. It provided a testing ground and also validated the multi-crate data acquisition system CANDLE and the electronics modules built in-house. The combined detector system allowed the study of high spin spectroscopy of weakly populated nuclei which were hitherto not possible in the country.
UGC- NRCB Interface Meetings
Interface meetings of Principals of UGC – recognized affiliated Colleges were held at Amritsar, Varanasi, Kurukshetra and Bareilly during February – March, 2003 under the auspices of the Northern Regional College Bureau (NRCB) of the UGC. The meetings were co-ordinated by Guru Nanak Dev University, Central Institute of Tibetan Studies, Kurukshetra University and Rohilkhand University. With the help of the University authorities and College Development Councils, X Plan allocation to 675 colleges in the states of U.P., Uttaranchal, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Chandigarh (UT) were finalized during the meeting. A total of Rs.85.8 crores were sanctioned towards developmental assistance to these colleges. The allocations include assistance towards building, campus development, equipment, books and journals, remedial classes, participation of teachers in academic conferences etc. Assistance in the special academic schemes like research projects, computerization of colleges, vocational courses, teacher fellowships, girls’ hostels, organizing seminars and symposia are in addition to this. During the X Plan, there are also schemes for special assistance to young colleges and colleges in backward areas. The X Plan allocation for the NRCB was finalized with the help of 24 experts consisting of Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors and senior academics from the various higher education institutions in the country.
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