GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3428
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/07/2009
DECLINING INTEREST IN SCIENCE SECTOR

3428. SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN:

Will the Minister of SCEINCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether rapid advancements in the Information Technology has led to a decline in interest in the science sector;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government for promotion of science and reviving the interest in science sector?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE ANS TECHNOLOGY; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)

(a) & (b): No, Madam
(c) The Union Government through the Department of Science and Technology has already approved a program called "Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)" to promote science and attract talents for pursuing career in research. The scheme was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 13th December, 2008.
The basic objective of INSPIRE is to attract talents and motivate them for studying science from an early age and pursuing career in research and help to build the required critical human resource pool for strengthening and expanding the S&T and R&D base in the country. It is a program with a long term foresight.

The program has three components i.e., i) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent (SEATS) for Science, ii) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and iii) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC) covering an age-group of 10-32 years of a student.

(i) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent for Science (SEATS) aims at (a) attracting talented child in the age group of 10-15 years to experience the joy of innovations through an investment of Rs.5000 per child as INSPIRE award; and (b) exposure of more than 50,000 students in class XI pursuing science with global science leaders through INSPIRE internship.

(ii) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) aims to enhance rates of attachment of talented youth to undertake higher education in science intensive programs by providing scholarships and mentoring through summer attachment with performing researchers. The scheme would offer 10,000 scholarships every year @ Rs.0.80 lakh per year for undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate level education in natural and basic sciences for the talented youth in the age group 17-22 years. The other feature of the scheme is to provide mentorship support, being planned for every scholar through INSPIRE scholarship.

(iii) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC) scheme envisages to provide 1000 doctoral INSPIRE Fellowships each year in the age group of 22-27 in both basic and applied sciences including engineering and medicine for pursuing doctoral degree. Besides this, it also offers every year an opportunity for 1000 post-doctoral researchers in the age group of 27-32 to provide a contractual and tenure track positions for 5 years in both basic and applied sciences through an INSPIRE faculty scheme.