The Threshold of Indian Science

The budget 2014 was subjected to intense scrutiny following the electoral promise of acche din. But expectations had to be tapered days before presentation of the budget as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hinted at cutting down some expenditure to cope up with the two-year economy slowdown. Still the budget was adeptly dissected to unfold the repercussions on common man. Indian scientific community too reviewed the provisions allocated to understand the commitment of new government towards development scientific research. Science and Technology received 362.69 billion rupees in the budget, a 4% increase from previous year as against the existing inflation at 8%. Although there were concerns about frugal spending affecting some of the international collaborations, majority of the scientists were optimistic that S&T would receive a shot in arm when expenditures would be revised based on midterm revisions of requirements in September. Also, budget has opened up new vistas for applications in medicine, agriculture, defence, information technology, space engineering and affordable housing.

As per new budgetary allocation, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Space programmes witnessed an 11% and 6% rise, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and health received a modest increase of 0.9% and earth science 0.5%. Government has also announced funding for two agricultural biotechnology research hubs, a national centre for Himalayan Studies, huge solar power plants, five IITs, five IIMs and four institutes similar to AIIMS and canal side-solar parks that would produce at least 1 megawatt of electricity. Moreover, a special 10,000 Crore fund has been earmarked to assist start-ups and bigger innovations.

While the budget spells austerity for science, Thomas Reuters report on Indian science infuses a sense of optimism. It casts light on the impressive achievements of Indian science and its policy literature has referred India as “sleeping giant” of science. Clearly there are signs of science taking a new turn. During the past three years 31 state and UT have created innovation councils headed by senior scientists. Particularly there is a discernible change in scientific community, which yearns to convert knowledge into wealth. This led to enormous increase in the academic-enterprise tie ups registering a phenomenal increase of start-ups on campus itself.

As we fathom into the strides made by Indian science, various milestone directives the process of structuring Indian science were the Scientific Policy Resolution (1958), Technology Policy Statement (1983), Science and Technology Policy (2003) are to be acknowledged. Since independence government strived consistently to build infrastructure both physical and human for research. Several scientific institutions like CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and IIT’s were created during the initial phase of development. This further paved way for the genesis of departments of space, atomic energy and defence research. This phase of construction ended in 1980 after which research was in doldrums for two decades due to lack of proper funding.

Indian science entered a new era in 2001 when funding for research and education became priority and allocations increased dramatically. Although there was a brief dip in recession years but it was not significant. The report indicates a substantial increase in the annual output of the scientific publications reaching 3% of the World output. It is interesting to note that the research trajectory is rising sharply. Chemistry with 6.3% of research output contributes to majority of scientific research followed by agriculture science, material science, pharmacology & Toxicology and Engineering & Technology. However, while the output increased exponentially, the percentage of highly cited papers hover around 0.5% much lower than the world average. Report states that India fares badly in terms of international collaborative output and appears less connected than all the G8 nations. In terms of creation of science and technology over the past decade India improved significantly but next to China.

In terms of innovations, report states that an average of 5,900 patent applications are filed annually. Of them nearly two-thirds are foreign filings seeking protection for their innovations in Indian market. Domestic innovation is pegged at 29% since 2005. India’s major contribution towards innovation is in field of agro-chemicals, technology and pharmacology sectors.

India is currently trying to gain lost ground with impressive achievements in fields of physics, engineering, psychology and social sciences. The major stumbling block that demands immediate assiduity is disproportionate investments relative to GDP in science. Since 2001, government has been promising to increase R&D investments to 2% of GDP as against the existing 0.9%. Poor funding still plagues the research in India. This benchmark is found to be essential for to boost up scientific research in the country.  Further, to grow into a research based economy a country needs to have a significant number of research personnel. Unfortunately India has severe crunch of technical expertise in science. While all developed economies have an optimum population of research personnel, India is at the bottom of list with 164 personnel per million as against the recommended number of 1000-1200. Unlike the private sector of foreign countries which contributes to two-thirds of R&D, in India it accounts for only one-third of the research.

India is known to be traditional home of learning, innovation and knowledge. During 1980 and late 1990’s India’s scientific output was static while other countries grew rapidly. Now India is trying to make up for the last time by setting up new institutes wherein young talent can nurture their careers in science and catapult research. India is at the brink of ushering into a new phase of world-class research and any significant pull can rejuvenate the fledging scientific aspirations of the country. Now it is time to fathom the new government’s resolve to steer the country into the greener pastures of more scientific and technological innovation.

 

 

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