higher education and sciences

Science policy: lacking a collective strategy from hindu

"Increasing the number of new Ph.D.s five-fold over 10 years, as recommended by the HRD Ministry's task force, is undoubtedly a laudable goal. But will there be a sufficient number of qualified students available to enter Ph.D. programmes without significant investment in upgrading undergraduate and post-graduate science education — investment that is not very much in view at the moment? More importantly, is there going to be a sufficient expansion of opportunities for high-quality research and corresponding development of research infrastructure to productively absorb this massive increase in numbers? These are questions that do not seem to have answers at the moment. "
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"There is no systematic and continuing oversight of policy-making by the scientific community and no articulation of an independent vision of science building in this country. Thus proposals such as those formulated by the two SACs or the HRD Ministry's task force are not the result of any detailed and critical review undertaken independently by the scientific community based on a broad consultative process, which would at least have given them the status of desirable long-term goals. This unfortunate state of affairs, where national science policy-making is conducted by and large over the heads of the scientific community, is being exacerbated by the absence of any fresh initiatives from the younger sections of the scientific community to assert themselves and fashion an independent role in the formulation of science policy."
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"Today, despite the creditable performance of individual sectors and individual institutions, there are serious problems that afflict basic scientific research in India. Overall, the picture of basic science in India is one of declining productivity. It is acknowledged that a career in science holds less and less attraction for the younger generation. Scientific institutions are significantly bureaucratised as noted by none other than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself. However judging by their performance so far, one of the key stakeholders in Indian science, the Indian scientific community, appears to have little to offer by way of a coherent strategy to face up to these issues."