Make science in India

Make in India is the much talked buzz word which makes the relevance of make in India for Indian science. What really need to be done is to make scientific research and science in India that much healthier?

There is a wide gap between make in India campaign and strengthening of research & development in India. The main cause can be the absence of innovative science education practiced in our education system.

In India, the educational institutions become a "mark manufacturing factories” instead of being institutions that turn out pupils who are well-rounded and who will be an asset to the society and the country.

If you look at young people and ask what you like to become there will be a doctor, engineer but not a scientist. There were only a few takers in science. We don’t give any importance in the area of science and we didn’t make it interesting for the students.

We do practical exams in higher secondary where we do tests in chemical reactions, instead if we do the same practical exam which could be used in our daily life scenario, say for example to test adulteration of tea powder  it would become interesting and it will inculcate the interest to learn science.

Even if some where interested to take science as an option, there is a barrier/gap in our education system. The demotivating wide gap is entrance examination pattern, where there will be a lakh of students take up the exams but only a few get selected.

Why does it happen? Because, there were limited no of seats and high number of aspirants, which underpins our dream to study science in a prestigious institution.

And if we are not going to provide the possibility of these young minds as an option for research in science, there won’t be an improvement in the area of science.

In India, Science and technology has been a secondary position because we don’t give due respect for science and technology in society. How this happen?

The most vital way of communication to society is media. But here the media views science and technology is least important of all subjects to which politicians aspire. The appointment of minister in the cabinet, the press always viewed as a demotion and present it. It shows there should be awareness about the importance of science in India.

I want to make a statement here is that, India is too low in terms of contribution of possibility of innovation and research. If you go by statistics India accounts 0.6% GDP in research compared to US 3% and 6% in Scandinavia. There was less than 1% for basic research funded in India by private players which was 70% research in abroad.

The allocation of research and development is low in India. China invests more in the educational institution when compared to us. We have to study what other countries have done and learn from their path.

To quote, India is the only country which contains 75% young population but the the foreign investors are reluctant to setup their business unit in India. Because of the poor bureaucracy structure of India ,slow in decision making and that was the result of poor condition in infrastructure.

“If we all learn to act as if there was no tomorrow” sure there will be change in the growth of our country, but as a culture we don’t act with alacrity.

We can make the world turn and see India.

If there is speed in decision making, and involvement of experts in decision making, ideology coming in the way of doing what is best, relegating meritocracy to the backburner, bring the issue of religion, caste into decision making.

If we change these things, we can "Make science in India."

This post was written by Harikrishnan.N , I year PGDM.