Scientific research in Indian universities is experiencing a concerning decline, primarily due to the dwindling attractiveness of a career in science compared to other professions like business, engineering, or administration. The allure of lucrative salaries and perceived stability in these fields often outweighs the pursuit of scientific inquiry. Additionally, universities are increasingly adopting consumer-oriented approaches, focusing more on generating revenue through enrollments and catering to the demands of students rather than prioritizing research and innovation. This shift in focus has led to a lack of investment in research infrastructure, limited funding opportunities for scholars, and a dearth of incentives for pursuing scientific careers. Consequently, talented individuals are drawn away from scientific endeavors, resulting in a diminishing pool of researchers and a decline in groundbreaking discoveries. To reverse this trend, it is imperative for both academia and policymakers to reevaluate their priorities, invest in research-oriented initiatives, and promote a culture that fosters scientific curiosity and innovation.
Tag: Science and technology-developments and their application and effects in everyday life.
Decoding the Question
- In the intro try to write about scientific research in India and institutes.
- In Body,
- Discuss reasons for declining Science research in Indian universities.
- Discuss its impact and way forwards to stop such decline.
- Try to conclude with writing some suggestions.
Answer:
Research and development (R&D) is at the core of economic growth. It leads to innovation and innovation in turn leads to economic growth. An analysis of research publications around the world has shown that in terms of scientific research output, the country’s universities have fallen way behind than other countries. The higher education sector in India has been largely a failure in R&D, according to most analysts, except for a few institutions, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences and the Indian Institute of Science.
The Union Budget 2021-22 has allocated funding in the different fields of scientific research, which can be understood in the following manner:
Under the Union Budget 2021-22, the government announced an allocation of Rs. 14,794.03 crore (US$ 2.02 billion) to the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Department of Atomic Energy has been allocated Rs. 18,264.89 crore (US$ 2.50 billion). The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been allocated Rs. 6,067.39 crore (US$ 831.63 million). The Ministry of Earth Sciences was allocated Rs. 1,897.13 crore (US$ 260.03 million).
Reasons for Declining Scientific Research in Indian Universities:
- Funding: Inadequate funding especially in private institutes has led to minimal R&D activity in India. Government spending in R&D has continued to remain static for about a decade, at 0.9% of the GDP, as compared to China, whose spending during the 2000-2017 period grew at an average of 17%. The situation is so dire in India that even the country’s premier technology colleges, the Indian Institutes of Technology, are reaching out to their alumni for funds.
- Poor private sector R&D: According to an Economic survey, 2018, there are only 26 Indian companies in the list of the top 2,500 global R&D spenders, out of which, 19 are concentrated between just three sectors. Poor research enthusiasm in the private sector due to focus on profits and earning and less spending has led to poor quality of scientific research in India.
- Institutional Framework: University system in India has emphasised more on teaching over research. This in addition to rigid admission rules, for example bar on change of discipline, age restrictions and lack of inter and trans-disciplinary culture in universities has led to poor scientific research in Indian universities.
- The Quality of Students: Majority of students are motivated to pursue Ph.D. to get entry into the teaching profession and subsequent career advancement. They often enter into academia for various extraneous reasons and pursue it for want of a better option. A large number of students taking admission to Ph.D. programs with accumulated deficit of disciplinary knowledge and research methodology and often even lack communication skills and linguistic competence.
- Weak linkages: India has a weak linkage between universities, institutes of higher learning, and industry. That linkage is a lot more robust in countries like the US, UK, Germany, and Israel. Most Indian universities have not been able to modify their curriculum with changing times.
- Weak IPR: The most important issue is the weak IPR regime. Any investment in R&D pre-supposes a strong intellectual property rights (IPR) regime to protect the IPs. In most areas, R&D IPs are either too weak structurally or are very hard to enforce.
Way Forward:
- Increasing funding: Government of India has been increasing funding to scientific research which is currently 0.7% of total GDP. This needs to increase to 3 to 4 % of GDP.
- Need to emphasise on applied research: As per the vice chancellor of Delhi University, basic research is important but applied research is what leads to progress.
- Promoting scientific temper: As the Indian constitution gives emphasis on promoting scientific temper, this will help in improving curiosity towards science and related research from childhood or schooling days.
- Diversifying research fields: The group scientist found that India’s major contribution to the scientific world has been in the field of chemistry—38 per cent of the country’s papers in 2010 were on the subject. However, the contribution of computer science (4.8 per cent), health sciences (3.5 per cent) and medical specialities (4.3 per cent) towards India’s total research output was relatively low.
Potential for R&D in India is huge but there are ground level challenges. To catapult India into the top five scientific nations, the country needs enabling policies with increased spending. India’s ambition should be to become the front-runner in the field of scientific research.
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