JOIN USPrime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday regretted India’s inability to make a mark in the world of science despite having a large manpower.
“We have not been able to make an impact on a world scale commensurate with our large scientific manpower pool. CSIR will need to devote itself to these national challenges in the years to come,” Singh said at a function to mark the 70th foundation day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Reminding the scientific community that India has failed to attract enough private investment for science, Singh urged CSIR, with 37 national laboratories, to “take up national leadership in science, engineering and technology.”
The stern warning from the prime minister came days after an independent survey commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology suggested that the Indian research base needed to be diversified to emerging fields like computer science and drugs, rather than being grounded to traditional domains like agriculture and tropical medicine.
The analysis by Thomson Reuters pointed out that India’s research portfolio, in broad terms, showed strength in physical sciences, despite resources being dedicated to agricultural, plant and animal sciences. Indian research output was virtually stagnant in the 80s and 90s.
CSIR is now setting up innovation complexes to foster innovation in partnership with industry and academia.
Moreover, it is partnering with the National Innovation Council to provide technology assistance to small and medium enterprises. Urging students to dream big, Singh said mechanisms were being put in place to identify the needs of India’s industries and tap bright ideas of CSIR’s young talent.
To mentor the students, CSIR on Wednesday launched a new scheme titled “science at 70,” to take the help of veterans in guiding young students.