JMI secures ₹67.23 lakh Central grant for antimicrobial resistance research
Synopsis
Jamia Millia Islamia has won a ₹67.23 lakh Central government grant to run a five-year AMR research and training programme — one of the few Indian universities to receive dedicated DHR funding for molecular and multi-omics approaches to drug-resistant infections, a threat the WHO calls among the most urgent in global health.
Key Takeaways
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has secured a ₹67.23 lakh Central government grant for five years to advance AMR research and training.
The grant is awarded under the DHR's HRD Scheme , Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, for specialised training in identified priority areas.
The approved proposal is titled 'Molecular and Multi-Omics Approaches in AMR: Diagnostics to Therapeutics' .
Principal Investigator Professor Shama Parveen of CIRBSc leads the project, supported by four co-investigators from the same centre.
The programme will also contribute to the Skill India Programme by building skilled biomedical researchers in AMR science.
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has secured a ₹67.23 lakh Central government grant spanning five years to advance biomedical research, scientific training, and capacity building in the critical domain of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the university announced on Tuesday, 25 August. The grant positions JMI among a select group of domestic institutions receiving dedicated federal support for AMR science.
About the Grant and Funding Scheme
The funding has been awarded under the 'Support to Institutions and Scientific Professionals/Bodies/Associations' component of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme of the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Under this scheme, DHR identifies priority biomedical areas and supports selected institutions in running specialised training programmes for researchers and professionals.
JMI's approved proposal is titled 'Molecular and Multi-Omics Approaches in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Diagnostics to Therapeutics' — a framework that integrates cutting-edge molecular biology techniques with computational and multi-omics tools to address AMR from detection through to treatment development.
Research Leadership and Interdisciplinary Team
The project's Principal Investigator is Professor Shama Parveen of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (CIRBSc) at JMI. Her research spans molecular biology, virology, infectious diseases, and translational biomedical research. The co-investigators — Imtaiyaz Hasan, Asimul Islam, S.N. Kazim, and Rajan Patel, all from CIRBSc — bring expertise in computational approaches and drug discovery, reinforcing the programme's interdisciplinary character.
What the Programme Will Cover
Participants will receive specialised training in molecular and multi-omics approaches encompassing AMR diagnostics, multi-omics methodologies, and the development of therapeutic strategies. The programme is also designed to contribute to the Government of India's Skill India Programme by building skilled human resources in a rapidly evolving area of biomedical science.
Why AMR Research Matters
Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly recognised as one of the most pressing global public health threats. Drug-resistant infections already claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually worldwide, and India — with its high burden of infectious disease and antibiotic use — is among the most exposed nations. This comes amid growing calls from the World Health Organization (WHO) for countries to strengthen national AMR surveillance and research capacity. Notably, JMI's grant is one of several DHR-backed initiatives aimed at building a domestic pipeline of AMR researchers, signalling a broader policy shift toward proactive scientific investment in this area.
With the five-year funding now secured, JMI's CIRBSc is expected to begin structured training cohorts in the coming months, contributing measurably to India's AMR response capacity.
Point of View
But its significance lies in the signal: the Centre is beginning to channel structured funding toward AMR research capacity at universities, not just apex institutes. JMI's selection under DHR's HRD Scheme suggests the government is broadening its AMR research base beyond the IITs and AIIMS ecosystem. The real measure of success will be whether the five-year training programme produces researchers who stay in India and feed into national AMR surveillance and drug discovery pipelines — outcomes that grant announcements rarely track publicly.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Central government grant secured by JMI for AMR research?
Jamia Millia Islamia has received a ₹67.23 lakh grant from the Department of Health Research under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for a five-year programme on Antimicrobial Resistance. The grant supports specialised training in molecular and multi-omics approaches to AMR diagnostics and therapeutics.
Under which government scheme has JMI received this grant?
The grant falls under the 'Support to Institutions and Scientific Professionals/Bodies/Associations' component of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme of the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Who is leading the AMR research project at JMI?
Professor Shama Parveen of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (CIRBSc) at JMI is the Principal Investigator. Co-investigators Imtaiyaz Hasan, Asimul Islam, S.N. Kazim, and Rajan Patel — all from CIRBSc — support the project.
What will the JMI AMR training programme cover?
The programme will provide specialised training in molecular biology, multi-omics approaches, AMR diagnostics, and the development of therapeutic strategies for drug-resistant infections. It is also aligned with the Government of India's Skill India Programme.
Why is antimicrobial resistance research important for India?
AMR is a critical global public health threat, with drug-resistant infections causing hundreds of thousands of deaths annually worldwide. India faces a particularly high burden due to widespread antibiotic use and infectious disease prevalence, making domestic research capacity in this area a national priority.
