New science, technology and innovation policy unveiled at science congress at Kolkatta chaired by PM has many interesting ideas. But then commitment to support inclusive innovations can be gauged by the fact that budget provision for grassroots innovation is same as it was in 2000 in real terms. Will then the new hopes be sustained? may be these can, if we can put pressure on the government to walk the talk. But S, T and I seldom attract the same passion as cricket or some other sports in india. how to make the discussion on science, technology and innovation policy a subject of every day discussion? small idea, small money, a fund for inclusive innovations, and several other ideas in the policy are appreciable but action, will speak louder than the word. let us hope for the best….
“” A Strong and viable Science, Research and Innovation system for High Technology led path for India (SRISHTI) are the goal for the STI policy.
The Key features of the STI policy 2013 are
a) Promoting the spread of scientific temper amongst all sections of society.
b) Enhancing skills for applications of science among the young from all social sectors.
c) Establishing world class infrastructure for R&D for gaining global leadership in some select frontier areas of science.
d) Positioning India among the top five global scientific powers by 2020(by increasing the share of global scientific publications from 3.5% to over 7% and quadrupling the number of papers in top 1% journals from the current levels).
e) Linking contributions of Science Research and innovation system with the inclusive economic growth agenda and combining priorities of excellence and relevance.
f) Creating an environment for enhanced private sector participation in R &D.
g) Enabling conversion of R & D output with societal and commercial applications by replicating hitherto successful models, as well as establishing of new PPP structures.
h) Seeking S&T based high risk innovation through new mechanisms.
i) Fostering resource optimized cost-effective innovation across size and technology domains.
j) Triggering in the mindset & value systems to recognize respect and reward performances which create wealth from S&T derived knowledge.
k) Raising Gross Expenditure in Research and Development (GERD) to 2% from the present 1% of the GDP in this decade by encouraging enhanced private sector contribution.
l) Increasing the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) of R&D personnel in India by at least 66% of the present strength in 5 years.
m) Increasing accessibility, availability and affordability of innovations, especially for women, differently-abled and disadvantaged sections of society.
n) Aligning Venture Capital and Inclusion Innovation Fund systems.
o) Modifying IPR policy to provide for marching rights for social good when supported by public funds and for co-sharing IPRs generated under PPP
p) Triggering ecosystem changes in attitudes, mindset, values and governance systems of publicly funded institutions engaged in STI activities to recognize, respect and reward performances which create wealth from S&T derived knowledge.
also see http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/India-s-new-science-policy-a-joke/Article1-985085.aspx
“”Ten years after the 2003 policy, India’s research and development investment remains under 1% of its GDP, and in absolute terms just a fifth of China’s and one-twentieth of the US’s funding for science and technology. India’s investment in R&D in 2010 was 24.8 billion USD, well below the US (398 billion), Japan (148 billion), China (102 billion), Germany (72 billion), Mexico (56 billion), France (43 billion), and South Korea and the UK (both 41 billion), according to a report commissioned by the department of science and technology. Russia, Canada and Brazil are snapping at India’s heels, threatening to overtake the country’s R&D investment.
But while the new science policy recognizes that increasing the gross expenditure in research and development of 2% of the GDP has “been a national goal for some time,” it suggests a blueprint similar to the failed charter of 2003.
Like the 2003 policy, the 2013 one argues that India can only achieve a target of 2% GDP spending on research if the private sector expands its investment and points to a need to create an environment conducive to private R&D investments.
But it is silent on why India has failed – since the 2003 policy – to attract enough private sector investment to allow the country’s GDP to touch 2%.
It’s a problem that has long plagued India.
“(Jagadish Chandra) Bose developed the idea of wireless (communications), but the discovery of radio was by Marconi, C.V. Raman discovered the Raman Effect, but Raman scanners were developed abroad,” former CSIR chief RA Mashelkar said on Thursday during his address at the Indian Science Congress where the new science policy was released.
But private sector investment isn’t the only challenge facing Indian science. India ranks only ninth in the sheer volume of publications in reputed peer-reviewed scientific journals, measured under a global parameter known as the SCI index – behind the US, China, Germany, Japan, the UK, France, Italy and Canada.”
http://www.csir.res.in/external/heads/aboutcsir/Policy2003.htm
http://www.dst.gov.in/whats_new/whats_new12/report.pdf
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/sustsci/ists/TWAS_0202/gupta_300199.pdf
Anil K Gupta
