The Hindu : Front Page : S&T set to get more funds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 04, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

S&T set to get more funds

Special Correspondent

Time has come for a renewed investment in basic sciences: Manmohan

TAKING SCIENCE FORWARD: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets M.A.M. Ramaswamy, Pro-Chancellor, Annamalai University ,at the inauguration of the 94th Indian Science Congress at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Union Minister for Science and Tec hnology Kapil Sibal is at left. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHIDAMBARAM (TAMIL NADU): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday indicated a significant increase in the allocation for science and technology (S&T).

Inaugurating the 94th session of the Indian Science Congress here, he said:

"We owe it to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that in the early years after Independence, we built several world-class institutions of science.

"The time has come, however, for a new thrust to and renewed investment in basic sciences. [The Government is] committed to increasing the annual expenditure on science and technology from less than 1 per cent of our GDP to 2 per cent in the next five years."

Though three institutions of research in sciences were launched in the past one year and the Government would do its utmost to invest further in science, the scientific community should also spend more time and energy on revitalising the scientific institutions, he pointed out.

Dr. Singh expressed concern over the dwindling enrolment in schools and colleges for basic sciences, decline in standards of research in universities, as also in advanced research institutes, and lack of interest among youth to take up careers in science.

While stressing the need to upgrade the university system, he called for the establishment of a system of international peer review in research laboratories to help maintain standards.

The Prime Minister sought measures to groom young scientists to take up top positions over a period of time, with proper orientation of economic incentives and rewards. "Only when students see prospects of early reward and recognition, they will be induced to tread the often lonely and tiresome trail of advanced research," he said.

Dr. Singh called for changes in the visa regime, employment procedures and remuneration systems, especially in Government institutions and universities, so as to facilitate the return of the best and the bright among the Indian scientists abroad and make them participate in building up a knowledge-based economy in the country.

"Many bright young Indian scientists working abroad in advanced fields of research wish to come home for varying periods of time. We must fully exploit the potential of this `reverse brain drain.' Our mindsets must change, so that we are open to draw on these [NRI] and other global resources in promoting science and technology development at home."

The Prime Minister also urged intellectuals and scientists to give suggestions to promote scientific research and temper.

"I was pleased to recently receive from the National Knowledge Commission some proposals with respect to promoting both science and scientific temper in our country. The Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister has also made some proposals in this regard. While suggestions pertaining to the creation of new institutional structures are being examined by the Government, I invite intellectuals and scientists to come forward with ideas on how we can promote science research and a scientific temper," he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page