RAJYA SABHA
The Government has taken various steps to rejuvenate and promote scientific research in the country. Some of these measures include:
- Induction of new and attractive fellowships for young and performing scientists;
- Creation of new Scientific Departments/Organisations;
- Setting up of centres of excellence/advanced studies/incubation centres in the universities, academic institutions and laboratories;
- Creation of core groups of professionals with necessary modern facilities required for pursuing research in new and frontier areas of science;
- Increase in the outlay for science and technology sector in successive Five Year Plans;
- Provision of sharing the external earnings with the scientists or innovator and its periodic revision in terms of IPR, Contract Research & Consultancy;
- S&T based training for entrepreneurial development;
- Contact programmes to attract and motivate brilliant young scientists to take up R&D as a career;
- Early Faculty Induction Programme, which aims at attracting bright and young under-graduate students in Engineering and Technology/Pharmacy/ Architecture, etc. to take up research as their career;
- Fast Track Scheme for young scientists;
- Financial assistance given to scientists/young researchers to participate in international conferences and training programmes abroad;
- Fellowships providing better opportunities for young scientists to visit international laboratories and S&T institutions;
- Invitation to distinguished men and women of Indian origin settled abroad for short term technical assignments to assist in frontier and emerging areas of S&T.
According to the “Global Competitiveness Report” brought out by the World Economic Forum, India’s rank varied from 14th to 22nd during the last 5 years in terms of quality of scientific research institutions. The recent report of 2007-08 ranked India at 22nd position. The ranking of quality of scientific research institutions is based on the cross-country annual surveys conducted by the World Economic Forum.
This information was given by Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal, in the Rajya Sabha today.
PRA/SKK