A three-member team from the HRD ministry visited Jadavpur University last week to assess if the university has the infrastructure to set up a centre of Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF).

In December, the university had figured on the list of eight institutes across the country vying for the tag to be given to four. The selected four — to be announced in May — will get a Rs 125-crore central grant to set up the centre.

The centre will provide guidance in access to data using sophisticated instruments and organise workshops on the use and application of various spectroscopic and analytical techniques for students, teachers and people from the industry.

The university gave a presentation before the team, justifying why it could be one of the four institutes for the centre.

Two IITs from the east — Kharagpur and Guwahati — are in the race for the tag as well.

“The team came to assess if we have the infrastructure for the centre. The members visited the site where we plans to set up the centre, if we are selected,” Pradip Ghosh, pro-vice-chancellor, said.

“On April 29, we and the seven other shortlisted institutes will have to give a presentation in Delhi, defending our bid. We hope to be selected.”

Ghosh was present during the inspection on April 1.

“The team wanted to know if we could provide water and electric supply 24x7 among others for the centre,” a university official said.

“The idea is to create a nodal point of research for 100 institutes that do not have such facilities. We named some of the institutes that can use the facilities while giving the presentation,” the official said.

“The revenue model will be based on earnings from the service fees to be charged from those using the facilities. The centre will have to be run on the self-finance mode.’