Indians must value science

In the contemporary era, world without science is

unimaginable. Even the progress of world can be
accessed in terms of scientific improvement. We,
Indians, had been the curious pursuant to scientific
enquiry in the beginning but slowed down in its
realization in later stages. The modern world demands
us to fast track scientific orientation rigorously to sustain
and develop with changing world dynamics.
In the common parlance, science is systematic and
logical analysis of an event in a manner so as the
anticipate the future status of it. It, as concept is very
old and can explain almost each and every aspect of our
activity systematically. Earlier when it was more applied
on non living things, even the social and psychological
aspect can also be explained now systematically
substantially. Contemporarily, science is understood in
relation to high technologies (i.e. the application part of
science) such as IT, software development,
communication technologies, space, robotics, nano
technologies etc, and the word science and technology
are used synonymously.
Science in India historical perspective
It has been said that Indians are more religious than
scientific. India is the land where the religions grew and
flourished. The spiritual temper of Indians prevented
them to enquire about the things and events happened
around. While the renaissance in West led to the
development of empiricism at high pace in 12 th century,
Indians witnessed the renaissance called Indian
renaissance - in the 18th century even in the realm of
religions. Indian scientific temper was to be found in the
religions which were based on un-enquired truth.
However, while there is some merit in the argument, it is
not absolutely correct. Indians are the pioneer of
science. Atharveda was the pure scientific work of Vedic
age. Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya, charaka were the
prominent scientist more before the world learnt science.
It was all in the realm of religions that scientific temper
went hand in hand with spiritual temper. And also,
religion is not against the science. As Vivekananda has
rightly put, religion is the science of consciousness.
However it should be acknowledged that the pursuit of
spiritualism has shifted our focus from the science in the
modern sense of the word. But, knowing that spiritualism
is not any way is obstacle to finding science; all we need
is to fast track our spirit for science.
Need for science in india
21st century is witnessing exponential rate of
development driven by scientific researches in almost
every filed? Science and Technology have emerged as
the major drivers of nation development globally. India
aspiring for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth need
to adopt science as an instrument for that.
Indias Scientific Policy Resolution (SPR) of 1958 resolved
to foster, promote and sustain the cultivation of
science and scientific research in all its aspects. Then,
Technology was expected to flow from countries
infrastructure. The Technology Policy Statement (TPS) of
1983 emphasized the need to attain technological
competence and self-reliance. The Science and
Technology Policy (STP) of 2003 brought science and
technology (S&T) together and emphasized the need for
investment in R&D. Clearly, Science as policy instrument
have got considerable leverage and institutional support
has been provided to a large extent. Science, technology
and innovation policy 2013 seeks to convert scientific
wealth in value. Innovative solution, which are
indigenous and context specific, has to be driven by
Science and Technology. But the real means can be
achieved by its rigorous implementation, monitoring and
evaluation.
Given the requirement for Research and Development
(R&D), the expenditure on it in India is not sufficient. We
invest less than 1% of the GDP in R&D. Despite the huge
demand from the sector, government has not been able
to mobilize enough finance because of various reasons.
Even developing countries like China- whom we
generally compare- and Brazil spends more than us.
Perhaps because we want quick results out of the
expenditure, and which is not achievable in the sectors
like R&D. It requires long terms investment, and benefits
may be as high as unimaginable. USA which has been
spending at least 2.5% of their GDP in R&D continuously
is the prime leader in the field of Research.
It is not only government which should be proactive in
the R&D, private sector should be equal participant.
Even, it is the private sector who should become driver
for R&D. Private sector in India has enough capabilities
and resource now comparing to the earlier days when
state had to support them. State should create a
facilitation and conducive environment for their growth.
In this direction, the linkage between the education
institutions and industry is crucial. Though efforts are
been made to strengthen this but linkage is more or less
confined to the few big business houses and in few
sectors only. The efforts are required to increase the
nexus between the institution and all kind of industries
from small and micro level one. It would not only
increase the research and development but quality of
education will also improve with adequate funding by
the industries. Education quality in India has been
criticized, and recently, in the top 100 university ranking,
no Indian university could figure. Just four to five
universities could figure in the list of 400 or 500 . Efforts
in the last few years are been made in creation of new
institution such as IIMs, IITs and NITs, but the quality of
education and funding issue is yet to be put in order.
In one of the recent report, administrative delay has
been said to be one of the matter that affects the
approval of R&D project. Conservative and Risk avoiding
nature of bureaucracy tends to stop the innovative
initiatives in education, research and public private
partnership projects. Bureaucrats are criticized for being
generalist who does not pay much required attention to
scientific projects that require specialist understanding.
Bureaucratic attitude should change and must value
science.
When in the area of space, information, communication
and nuclear technologies we are growing satisfactorily,
we are yet to realize the benefit of science and
technology as the instrument for the welfare of people. 8
per cent of GERD is consumed by the strategic sectors
(atomic energy, defense and space research) and about
29 per cent is met by the private sector. New structural
methods and models are needed to address the pressing
challenges of energy and environment, food and
nutrition, water and sanitation, habitat, affordable health
care and skill building and unemployment. Global
solution tends to avoid the people as the means and
purpose for the science and development. Science
should become as an instrument for the society to adopt
and develop. An informed and innovative society can
seek the solution for our indigenous problem faster than
only state offering the solutions. Adequate attention
should be paid to reinvent traditional knowledge in line
with modern practices. As said by Dr. C.N Rao, If we
want to be world leaders in science, it will have to be by
supporting the little science of people in educational and
research institutions. Education and awareness program
can play a central role in making society as key player in
innovation and development.
Finally, onus is not on any state, society and private
entity individually, it is the collective effort which can
create a culture of innovation. People at large need to
have will power and should approach the problems with
solution orientation. They need to break the traps of
superstition, natural enigma, and blind faith. Perhaps a
new renaissance and transformation changes are
required in modern India. Collectively we all, Indians,
should seek a culture of science with our intellect. As
has rightly been put Science is a way of thinking much
more than it is a body of knowledge. We need value
science and let science became a part of our value
system
Written by
Padam Singh