Research should find ‘frugal' solutions to food, energy and water security problems
Expressing concern that the expenditure on research and development in India has been “too low and stagnant,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday called upon industry to increase its contribution and stressed the need for enhanced public-private partnership (PPP) in science and technology.
“It is in some way ironic that GE [General Electric] and Motorola have created world-class technology hubs in India, while our own industry has not done so, except perhaps in the pharmaceutical sector. We need to look at ways and means of incentivising private R&D investment.”
As publicly funded R&D was now “skewed” in favour of fundamental research, it would be easier to attract industrial funds to applied research. “A set of principles should be formulated to push such funding and to drive PPPs in R&D,” Dr. Singh said inaugurating the 99th annual session of the Indian Science Congress here.
“We must aim to increase the total R&D spending as a percentage of GDP to 2 per cent by the end of XII Plan [period] from the current level of 0.9 per cent. This can be achieved only if industry, which contributes about one-third of the total R&D expenditure today, increases its contribution significantly. I believe that public sector undertakings, especially in the energy sector, should play a major role in this expansion.''
Over the past few decades, India's relative position in the world of science had been “declining” and it had been overtaken by countries like China. “Things are changing [for the better], but we cannot be satisfied with what has been achieved.”
“Preoccupied with rich”
The Prime Minister urged that scientific output be made more relevant to the needs of the country and that traditional systems of knowledge be explored and rejuvenated. “It is said that science is often pre-occupied with problems of the rich, ignoring the enormous and in many ways more challenging problems of the poor,” he said.
“Research should be directed towards providing `frugal' solutions to our problems of providing food, energy and water security. Science should help us understand how to give practical meaning to the concept of sustainable development and green growth. Science should help us shift our mindsets from the allocation of resources to their efficient use. Technology and process engineering should help us reach the benefits of development to those who most need it.”
Referring to a recent study which undertook a survey of about 2,000 women scientists with a PhD degree and showed that 60 per cent of them were unemployed, mainly for lack of job opportunities, he called for transparency in selection procedures in scientific institutions, with proper gender audits.
The government, he said, was examining a proposal to build national capacity and capability in supercomputing by the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science at a cost of Rs. 5,000 crore and considering establishing a neutrino observatory in Tamil Nadu's Theni district on an investment of Rs. 1,350 crore.
For women scientists
In addition, the Department of Science and Technology was formulating a scheme, “Disha,” which would help women scientists relocate themselves to other cities. The department would create 1,000 contractual positions tenable in publicly funded institutions. A fellowship matching the total emoluments of an in-service S&T professional would be provided to a woman scientist when she moved from one place to another.
Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said the government would soon come out with a new policy for S&T and innovation. It would cover both a policy for science and a science policy for the people, and address the problem of the R&D sector functioning in separate compartments.
Keywords: scientific research, Research and Development, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Indian Science Congress
One of the reason for poor research and development in our country is
because there is no incentive in being a researcher. A good researcher
generally leaves the country to places where they get respect and
value for good research work (USA, Europe). And most of the time its
not possible for every good Indian researcher. Being a researcher will
not even give one, a good living standard in India. Whereas a
engineering degree or mba will give you better paying job in Indian
services company, who will never hire a pure science students.
Socially we have discarded the pure science in favor for engineering
and business administrator degrees, which gives quick money but not
innovation.
Time has come when we have to give good opportunity for pure science
education as well, and not only engineering and business
administrators. Americans will not come and solve our problems, even
if they do, it will require $'s which is already very costly for us.
I concur with John's statement above. Our education system as well as workplace practices and trends do not encourage creativity and investements. When companies are focused only on cutting costs and investing less and less on employees how will it provide encouragement to think creatively. For exapmle, IT/BPO companies recruit 12th pass and graduate students for their workforce. So, when the chance to earn money/stand on one's feet is available at that stage what will be the motivation for students to study further and get into research(in today's ever increasing costs).
PM has rightly focused on one of the important areas where we lag behind. He has specifically pointed out the lag in scientific research and reminded us that China is far ahead. Even in the social sciences field, China has forged ahead. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has as many as 50 research centres covering 260 disciplines and 4000 full-time researchers. “Britain’s think-tank community may run into hundreds; Europe’s in the low thousands and even the think-tank haven that the US is cannot have more than 10000”. Now commute what we may be having not even a hundred. China has overtaken all of us even in the social sciences research not to speak of scientific research. German industries had poured money into research laboratories even in the basic industries like coal, iron and steel. German universities acted as both research agencies and as recruiting ground for local industries. American chemical and pharmaceutical industries have also poured funds into research creating.
From my experience with a leading PSU,I see that creation of separate R&D department is primarily to get income tax concessions.People are routinely transferred among unconnected departments to manage promotions and other benefits than R&D activity. Our PM is not properly informed of the real situation but informed by buearocrats.
I want to comment on the real status of science in India. I am a Research Scientist with Ph.D. from India. I spent several years after my Ph.D. in Europe and USA. I wanted to comeback after gaining expertise in my field. At that time I was in a permanent position in a Research Institute in US. I applied for several positions (both academic and R&D) and was never called for interview (atleast). Few years back I left the thought of returning back and now permanently settled in US. Also, one of my friends like me with 10 years of post doctoral research experience in Europe and USA returned back to India recently. He couldn't get any position and received DST young scientist award. Unfortunately, he couldn't start his DST research career as he has taken a guest professor (temporary) position for his living in a National Institute where he was told that he is paid for teaching and not for research. Also, his temporary position is going to end. This is the reality.
What a surprise? PM talking on R&D about our country. It reminds me of irony that this the Central Govt. which has cut its funds to our own DRDO which makes it even worse. PM before pointing a finger at other check three fingers pointing at you and your Govt called UPA.
I disagree with the PM's statement that the problem is investment. Students in India study for marks and not for knowledge. Indians are good in working but our system doesn't encourage us to be creative. Our whole education system needs a review. Until we don't learn to give respect to an individual's creative capacity, there is no point in investing more. This is the reality we are living in.
At last!! someone is brave enough to iterate the reality.In 10 years China has produced $0 to billion dollar companies like Baidu, Alibaba etc where as in India we still have TCS, Infosys, cognizant,wipro only talking about moving up the value chain.Allocation of capital is most important for a growing economy, allocation to small enterprenuers that is.Will Banks and venture capital open up for enterpreneurs,will Private Equity be wise enough to risk on M&A on small companies and consolidate them, Will govt be smart enough to put its money where the need is! instead of developing IPAD for 1000 or computer for 500 it should provide mainframe for infrastructure back bone for Agriculture,weather demand forecasting,Market reach,opening up of agri products to everybody,Developing petroleum from algae,sugar etc these are the fields that need to be focussed on.You need more thoughtful leaders than we have!!
America planning their future, India is doing postmortem about the past? Mr PM telling that Past few decades our relative position is declining, it means we did not take any right decision for the past few decades, we are not even planned for all these years! A 5th grade student knows that we need more investment in Science/maths. We have already lost our competitiveness with china, there is no need to compare with them anymore, We are now comparable with Google or Apple in terms of R & D Investment. China is now fighting with America directly from technology to e-commerce to military. Just look at China's growth in number of patents that they received in recent years. The rest of the world going towards horizontal scaling, we are investing in vertical scaling infrastructure (super computing)! I wish at least my grandchild’s live in developed India. Will the politicians plan for that now? 21st century = Innovation in digital world.
It is heartening that the PM wants to increase the investments in R&D programs and through widening the science infrastructure,public private partnerships, international collaborations etc the programs has to meet the myriad challenges of the nation. He has said that science through R&D should address the nation's problems in the areas of food and security,nutritional inadequacies,energy and water resource management etc.Only a vibrant and a healthy nation will be able to invest in humancapital for research and the know.thus created would have to be sustained through'new innovation ecosystem' as the PM has pointed out. Many R&D projects in the fields of IT, auto,pharma,bio-tech etc are going on in our country but a lot needs to be done.Public research inst.should be run in a professional manner with increased fundings along with industrial collaborations,private investmests in applied tech. and importantly creating a conducive atmosphere for scientific inquiry is needed.
This speech by honorable Prime Minister should have been done long ago. The fact is India never produced any Nobel Prize winners in science. Sir C.V Raman received it during the time of 'British India'. Khorana and Ramakrishnan are American Indians and there is nothing to be proud about them. Infact post-independence, ruling governments have consistently failed to nurture home grown talents in basic science research.
Attempts of inviting talents from abroad has embarrassed the whole nation recently. Shiva Ayyadurai, an entrepreneur inventor and Fulbright Scholar with four degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, was the first scientist to be appointed under the CSIR scheme to recruit about 30 scientists and technologists of Indian origin. All his attempts to reform the "medieval, feudal environment" of Indian science were fired back by Dr. Brahmachari by issuing suspend notice to Ayyadurai and order to vacate his house in three days.
India will lose in brain race if it lags behind inS& T. It will reflect on standard of living ,brainy people will migrate to greener pastures. S&T is the key area inwhich india should take immediate steps to reform,and build world class institutes. Our priorities of investments in states and center are not proper, so we are poor. Prime Minister says to invest more in R&D but in actual practice it does not happen. Will Indians learn lessons from chinese.
The Prime Minister has rightly pointed out the rot in our country's government R&D sector. The major part of the R&D in our country's research institutes and universities is promotion oriented and not at all problem oriented, leave aside for the benefit of the common man. We have to bring in a lot more objectivity and transparency in selections. Besides, we have to do away with all the discretionary powers provided to administrators, if we really want to improve the status of research being done in our country.
The unemployment among the P hd holders are surprising. More investment required in Private & Public sector as PM suggested.
Every year, we exempt nearly Rs Two Lakh Crore from Tax.Even though an exemption of Rs 3000 will seem simple for us,collectively that amount can make a huge difference to our nation.Why cant we think of making use of this 2 lakh crore for developmental purposes?Govt may take-in this money as "volunteered for nation building" and issue bond to the value of the exempted money.The money can be used for developmental purposes and the investor will get his money back in 1.5-2 years. Doesnt it seem viable to both the parties.Instead of letting the wealthy take away the money and stash away in foriegn countries, we can make use of the same for atleast 2 years before letting them escape with it. Also they are getting 8-10% interest for thier money! That will make thier investments legal as well. Like ways, any one can invest in the national bond,Ist year of agri,IInd year for primary education,IIIrd for food guarentee, IVth for infrastructure, V for R&D. In 5 years,Rs 10 Lakh crores for nation
The PM's reiteration towards science is heartening. In fact, the present
government has taken a good initiative in this sector by creating
several new central universities and IITs alongside IISERs. However, it
is to be seen what will be the outcome. As pointed out by the PM
himself, the recruitment process in scientific institutions and
universities must be transparent and should be carried out in
professional way, though some leverage is necessary in science recruitment the deserving candidates should not be denied opportunities.
PM commented that over the past few decades,India's relative position in the world of science is declining and over taken by countries like china.It is a sad position when we have produced Nobel prize winners like Ramakrishnan and Sen during this period.He has also mentioned about the slow research and development works.He felt the expenses in R&D is to be increased in a large way.But he has not pointed in any specific case to help the scientific Institutions and the scientists to take actions.He must take steps to retain good scientists in India and also advise those Indians abroad to come back and work for our nation.
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