Funding Basic Research in Science

What is the issue?

India's funds for Science in general and for small scale science projects in particular are very low.

How is India's expenditure in Science?

• Currently, research and development expenditure stands at around Rs. 1 lakh crore.
• This amounts to 0.8% of the GDP.
• The recent Economic Survey highlights the role of scientific and technological innovations in economic prosperity.
• It thus calls for doubling the above share.
• Even the doubled amount would be behind that of China, Israel, Japan and the U.S.
• Notably, each of these countries spends more than 2% of their GDP on research.

What are the concerns?

• Research Grants - This year’s Budget has allotted around Rs. 28,000 crore to science ministries.
• Out of this, a mere 3.22% is for basic science projects.
• This will be disbursed as competitive research grants by the statutory body, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).
• This is very low in comparison to many other countries where the share is around 30 to 40%.
• Small Projects - Share of expenditure for R&D in GDP is a significant indicator.
• However, more importantly, appropriate share between small and large scale projects also needs attention.
• Notably, funds for exploratory small-scale science researches are diminishing.

How have small science projects transformed?

• Creative and indigenous innovations often result from the efforts of scientists working alone or in small groups.
• The small science projects often emerge as harbingers of technological changes.
• Higgs boson - Discovery of Higgs boson/God particle in 2012 at CERN, European Organisation for Nuclear Research was popular.
• It came with $1 billion annual expenditure of CERN.
• Yet, this began in seminal theoretical works of several independent scientists including Peter Higgs.
• Spectrometer - In 1928, C.V. Raman spent about Rs. 200 on his laboratory-built spectrometer.
• Today, the global market for Raman spectrometers is about $1.2 billion.
• It also brought to India its first science Nobel prize.
• ISRO - Through the 1960s, Vikram Sarabhai was experimenting with simple sounding rockets.
• These ultimately grew into the Indian Space Research Organisation of today.

What is desired?

• India’s provision for competitive research grants needs upward revision.
• Science budget has to be balanced between mission-oriented projects and the small research grants.
• Mission-oriented projects include those in the areas of defence, space, nuclear and environmental sciences.
• Besides these, the research ecosystem that provides human resources and feeds for innovations needs enough policy focus.
• The Economic Survey recommends having a greater share of an investigator-driven model for funding science research.
• These are voluntary, independent researches.
• Here, the investigator or the institution (academic, private, or governmental) serves as the Sponsor.
• It provides more scope to generate individual, innovative ideas.
• The Survey also calls for expanding resources in this regard.
• It stresses on creating governance structures for facilitating supportive research environment in the country.

Source: The Hindu

Quick Fact

SERB

• The Science and Engineering Research Board is an autonomous body.
• It works under the Department of Science and Technology.
• It was set up by the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008.
• It is aimed at promoting basic research in Science and Engineering.
• It provides financial assistance for those involved.
• These include individual scientists, academic institutions, R&D laboratories, industrial concerns and other agencies.