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.