LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science (UPSIFS) set up under the ministry of home affairs in Lucknow will have eight departments and 14 laboratories. The institute, which will begin classes with 150 students, will offer BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD and diplomas and certificate courses. It will be governed by Gujarat-based National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), as per an MoU signed between NFSU chancellor JN Vyas and UP additional chief secretary.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath recalled home minister Amit Shah’s suggestion in 2019 about establishing an advanced forensic institute in keeping with the changing nature of crime and its challenges during his visit to UP. “This has finally materialised under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi and home minister Shah. For improving policing and setting new benchmarks, we will establish a centre of excellence and produce forensic experts,” he said.
DGP Mukul Goel said, the institute will not only train policemen and those in the prosecution department, but also educate students and propel research in forensic science. It will also enable students to explore new career avenues and the state will get its best forensic scientists, he added.
A senior police official said, the institute will have departments of physics, biology, chemistry, ballistics, serology, toxicology and cyber forensics. Three other departments related to policing would be law, behavioural sciences and police administration. Separate labs will be set up for ballistics, serology and cyber forensics. The department of behavioural sciences will have separate lab facilities for brain mapping, lie-detection tests and narco-analysis. It will also have a resource centre on civil and criminal law.
Of the 496 posts, 14 professors, 12 associate professors and 42 assistant professors have been shortlisted, but the final call be taken by NFSU. Hostel facilities for at least 500 students have also been planned.
A home department official privy to the project said, public works department would handle the construction work, for which the tendering process will complete in next two months. The entire project is expected to be complete by March, 2023. Additional director, general, technical services, Sandeep Salunke, said the project will have three parts — DNA laboratory spread over 5acre, forensic science laboratory on 3 acres and remaining space will house the forensic science institute.
Rs 15 crore allocation for setting up advanced DNA lab
Union home minister Amit Shah said, Rs 15 crore will be allocated for establishing the hi-tech DNA lab along with the forensic institute. It would be the first of its kind institute in the country and prove to set a milestone in police modernization. He also said, by 2024 many states will also have advanced forensic sciences institutes affiliated to NFSU. “Overall conviction rate in India is low in comparison to Israel because we lack expertise in forensic sciences and preservation of evidence,” said Shah.
