Imparting Direction To Science In India

Context: The progress that India has made in Science and Technology research is mostly on account of its science policies.

Concerns related to scientific research in India

• Quality of publications: Publications from India are not impactful.
  • According to the NSF report, in the top 1% of the most cited publications from 2016, India’s index score of 0.7 is lower than that of the U.S., China and the European Union.
• Modest number of patent applications: According to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India filed only 2,053 patent applications, compared to 58,990 by China and 57,840 by the U.S.
• Low Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research &Development (GERD): 6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while it is more than 2% for U.S. and China. (due to low private sector contribution)

Positive developments related to scientific research in India:

• Large number of publications: According National Science Foundation (NSF) of the United States (U.S), India was the third-largest publisher of peer-reviewed science and engineering journals in 2018
  • With an average yearly growth rate of 10.73% from 2008.
• Protection of intellectual property: National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy in 2016 to “stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced intellectual property rights system”.
• Science policies:
  • Scientific Policy Resolution (1958): aimed to develop scientific enterprise and lay the foundation for scientific temper and led to the development of various labs.
  • Technology Policy Statement (1983): focus on technological self­-reliance and to use technology to benefit all sections of the society, strengthening electronics and biotechnology.
  • Science and Technology Policy (2003): aimed to increase investment in research and development and brought it to 0.7%.
    • Established The Scienti?c and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to promote research.
  • Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (2013): included Innovation in its scope and was called Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.
  • Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2020 (STIP2020): Positioning India among the top three scientific superpower
    • Aims to double the number of full­time equivalent (FTE) researchers, GERD and private sector contribution to the GERD every five years.
    • Provides “one nation, one subscription” solution: For accessing all top journals through a central subscription.
    • Defines solutions to improve funding: E.g. States to fund research, multinational corporations to participate in research.
    • Inclusion of under-represented people in research and engaging with the scientific diaspora.
    • Support for indigenous knowledge systems: enabling them to improve upon their limitations in subscribing to transparency and verifiability.
    • Science diplomacy with partner countries: offering COVID-19 vaccines to many countries was a step in the right direction.
    • Set up a Strategic Technology Development Fund to give impetus to research.