The Challenge of India's Science Management and its Impact on Economic and Strategic Goals

Context:

India's ongoing efforts to revamp its science establishment, particularly with the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the restructuring of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), raise questions about the administrative efficiency and resilience of the country's scientific endeavors.

1. Low Research and Development Expenditure:

Expenditure Discrepancy: India's low research and development expenditure, around 0.7% of GDP, contrasts starkly with global leaders like the United States (3.5%) and China (2.4%).
Need for Strategic Allocation: Given the limited funding, there is a crucial need to allocate resources wisely and prioritize high-impact projects for sustained scientific outcomes.
Shortcomings in Key Areas: Despite achievements in the space program, India lags in critical technologies such as reusable rockets, nuclear energy, genomics, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

2. Dominance of Public Sector and Role of Scientists:

Scientific Administration Challenges: The public sector dominance in India's science is coupled with challenges like bureaucratic delays, inadequate long-term funding commitment, and an outsized role for senior scientists in administrative tasks.
Faulty Assumption: The assumption that a good scientist will be an effective science administrator is questioned, highlighting the mismatch between the skill sets required for scientific research and administrative duties.
Conflicts of Interest: The present system allows for significant conflicts of interest, with academics holding administrative roles within the same institutions, leading to issues like red tape and compromised quality control.

3. Need for Administrative Overhaul:

Separation of Roles: A comparison with the U.S. model suggests the separation of administrators and scientists, with early selection and training for administrative roles, ensuring a focus on specific skill sets.
All-India Science Administration Pool: Proposes an American middle-way arrangement, suggesting the creation of an all-India pool for science administration central service, where scientists receive training and are selected for administrative roles.
Administrative Training: Advocates for a realization similar to the business world in 1908 when the Master of Business Administration (MBA) course was established, emphasizing the need to teach and practice administration separately from scientific research for the effective functioning of science establishments.

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