Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- Post-liberalization Era b)

Science & Technology There is some contradiction between the New Industrial Policy announced in July 1991 and the present Technology Policy. A draft of a new Technology Policy has been announced by the Govern- ment. This is under discussion. At the end of a national debate organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore in co- operation with the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies, New Delhi in February 1993 at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, a consensus emerged regarding the possible approach that could be followed. The recommendations in brief were as follows : 1. Economic liberalisation alone would not lead to prosperity in the absence of an appropriate science and technology policy that gives suitable responsibility to national laboratories, higher educational institutions and such organisations in na- tional development. 2. The neglect of S&T in recent times is likely to cause irrevers- ible damage to our future. It should be noted that a techno- logically advanced country like Japan has doubled its support for basic science. 3. Infrastructure and other facilities in institutions of higher learning and national laboratories are crumbling for want of funds. A national plan for modernisation of these institutions will have to be drawn up and implemented urgently. 4. Apart from S&T and higher education, three crucial infra- structure areas that require immediate attention are energy, transportation and communication. Unless these areas show marked changes for the better it will be difficult to attain a high level of industrial development or foreign investment. 5. Poor support to basic science and higher education, gravita- tion of bright engineers towards management degrees, large turnout of graduates from poorly equipped colleges (ap- proaching now three times those from recognised institu- tions) and such other factors have a deleterious effect on the quality of science and technology. The AICTE Act has been ineffective and needs an immediate review and change if the technical education sector has to provide the right inputs. 6. A wider societal recognition of scientists and technologists is required. An aggressive effort to sensitise policy and deci- sion makers should be undertaken. A statement on the eco- nomic impact of the contributions of Indian science and tech- nology should be formulated and disseminated. 7. It is recognised that at least 50 per cent of the economic growth can be attributed to technology directly. Technology is a crucial instrument to compete internationally in a truly free market. The emerging technology challenges in the post-lib- eralisation era need to be assessed quickly and an action plan drawn up. In some sectors, a mission-mode approach should be followed. 8. That economic liberalisation alone will bring in free flow of technology is a myth. Purchase of state-of-the-art technol- ogies in the context of globalisation will be difficult because a) India will no longer be considered a bottomless pit of domestic demand. Technology buyers from India will be seen as potential competitors in the world market. Conditionalities on technology sale will include marketing territory restrictions.

Technology suppliers are making technical services a part of a separate agreement. As a result, after the purchase of a technology, an Indian buyer will have to depend on Indian S&T for debottlenecking absorption and upgradation. In view of all these issues inputs in S&T would have to be increased. 9. Indian industry, by and large, has not looked on technology as an instrument of growth. Out of total industrial production, the portion that can be attributed directly to the contribution of R&D efforts in the country does not exceed about 10 per cent. An overnight change in the industry’s attitude and commit- ment is not expected. The process of transition may take a decade. Till such time industry becomes a major partner in supporting S&T publicly funded R&D institutions will have to play a major role during the transition. 10. The Indian Patent Act 1970 fulfilled a signal requirement in the economic and social development of India. With India’s economic policies undergoing a dramatic change, the question is whether the same service to the nation from this Act can be expected in the days to come. In a phase of world trade with barriers removed, no nation will deliver competitive advan- tage to another except at a price. A major aspect of India’s in- tegration with the world economy will be in terms of the flow of technology. The issue of intellectual property has to be ap- proached with a view to assessing how this flow of technol- ogy can best be assisted. 11. Agencies in space, defence and atomic energy have per- formed well in mission - oriented tasks in strategic areas of importance. The new vision for these laboratories should, apart from the missions set up through a national goal-setting mechanism, include programmes which orient these to the new technological, commercial, business and global-political realities. India is one of the few countries which has affirmed its im- mense faith in science and technology through the science policy resolution as early as 1958. Today, we have a reasonable infra- structure in science and technology which can be exploited for ec onomic development and industrial growth. Science and technol- ogy itself should be considered as part of the infrastructure. The other important key sectors related to infrastructure are energy, communication and transportation. R&D institutions have to take up definitive responsibilities in technology development. They should not be talking in general terms of process development and feasibility studies, but actually identify those technological products that they will develop both in the short and the medium terms. Incentives to industry to support national S&T as well as educational institutions would be of great value in this respect. Investment in R&D in certain areas has to be made after careful planning. Another area where we have to invest heavily is industrial design. Software export can be multiplied provided there is crucial support to certain educational and R&D organizations. (C.N.N.R.) - Source: Current Science Vol 64 No 7 April 10,1993