NEW DELHI: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Monday called for initiatives to attract youth to science learning, creating "attractive" job opportunities for those who take up basic sciences as a career and scaling up investments in research and development (R&D) to make India a cost-effective knowledge hub.

"Attracting youth to science learning, focussed national R&D programmes, urge for the industry to become competitive globally, and connectivity through four grids like education, healthcare, e-governance and providing urban facilities in rural areas are needed for the evolution of a knowledge hub," he said while inaugurating a "Global Conference on India R&D 2005 — The World's Knowledge Hub of the Future."

Observing that it was essential to ensure careers for those who wished to pursue science as a mission, Mr. Kalam said, "We should work for the creation of a science cadre with a well-defined growth path and attractive salaries. There should be a minimum annual intake of about 400 M.Sc and 200 Ph.D candidates with assured career growth in organisations such as ISRO, DRDO, CSIR, DST and the Universities."

Appeal to private sector

He asked private sector industries such as pharma, IT, oil and natural gas, transportation, agriculture and power to contribute to research and development and employ an additional 400 M.Sc and 200 Ph.D candidates every year for carrying out research in frontier areas.

There was a need for the country to utilise the cost-effective and skilled human resources available here to accelerate economic growth and help India become the engine of global growth, Mr. Kalam said.

Delegates and scientists from across the globe have gathered here to participate in the two-day conference, which aims at projecting India as a cost-effective knowledge hub.

Referring to energy independence as an urgent need, Mr. Kalam said, "Energy independence has to be our nation's first and highest priority." He cited the example of one such project at the Rashtrapati Bhavan — a five MW solar energy power plant.

The use of uranium-based fuel had given a boost to nuclear power generation. However, a ten-fold increase in nuclear power generation was needed to attain a reasonable degree of energy self-sufficiency.

Stress on nano-technology

Mr. Kalam suggested that the scientists take up research in nano-technology and its applications as "it has great potential both in terms of economic and social development."

"The world market for nano materials, nano tools, nano devices and nano-biotechnology put together is over hundred billion dollars. It has been noticed that the fastest growing area among these is nano-biotechnology." The President also suggested strengthening the National Aeronautics Policy by integrating the strengths of both the civil and military aviation sectors.

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