| |
28th November 2006
Dear Mr.
Prime Minister,
Indian scientists made significant contributions to the advancement of science and
technology in the 1950s and 60s. This was possible because of the support extended to
science education and research by the successive governments. Numerous research and
development institutions were established across the country. However, over the years, in
spite of continuing government support, both the quality and quantity of the research
output from India has been on the decline as has been pointed out by Prof. C.N.R. Rao to
you. It is necessary to examine the reasons for this decline and implement remedial
measures.
One widening realization of the last few decades has been that knowledge is a continuum
and the boundaries between disciplines are increasingly becoming blurred, tenuous and
indefinable.
The major causes for the current crisis in Indian research are as follows:
-
Lack of interaction: There is very rigid compartmentalization of natural and social
sciences; as a result there is little or no interaction between researchers in natural
sciences and social sciences.
- Lack of long term vision: Research topics of long term relevance and importance
are not taken up as support tends to be for the duration of 3 to 5 years because of
our planning process.
- Lack of differential remuneration: The principle of differential remuneration
based on performance and output is not followed to reward those who perform
well and chastise those who do not.
- Lack of scientific methods: Current teaching methodologies at school, college and
university level do not inculcate scientific temper in the students.
We are aware that the Science Advisory Council has recently suggested the establishment
of a National Science Foundation to address some of these and other issues confronting
research. We support this suggestion with some modifications that will make the solution
more comprehensive and practicable.
The National Knowledge Commission feels that in view of the disappearing boundaries
between various disciplines of knowledge and knowledge emerging as a continuum, our
country should set up a National Science and Social Science Foundation (NS3F) which
will look at all knowledge as one seamless entity. We will be the first country to set up
such an avant garde organization and rightfully so given our 5000-year-old tradition of
broad-based knowledge.
|
|
|
|
