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

RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 354
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.08.2006

EXPENDITURE INCURRED ON BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH WORK

*354. SHRI MANGANI LAL MANDAL :

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

(a) the percentage of expenditure being incurred on basic science and technology research out of India's gross domestic product;
(b) the specific areas of basic science which are being focussed for research work; and
(c) the complete details regarding latest position and achievement in research on basic science and technology related areas vis-à-vis developed and developing countries including China?

A N S W E R

MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES

(KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 354 FOR 21.08.2006 REGARDING "EXPENDITURE INCURRED ON BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH WORK"

(a) According to the latest official Research and Development Statistics, the expenditure incurred by the Government on basic science and technology research during 2002-03 was Rs.2431.70 crores which forms 0.11% of India's GDP.

(b) Basic science research in the country is being undertaken by various scientific departments/ministries/agencies including Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Space, Department of Atomic Energy, Indian Council of Medical Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Ministry of Earth Sciences. Some of the specific areas of basic science where R&D is being focussed include: molecular biophysics, nanotechnology, genomics and molecular medicine, proteomics, brain research, stem cells research, communicable and non-communicable diseases, plant animal relationships, physics of biological systems, quantum optics and basic laser physics, non-linear optics, small permanent magnet machines, high precision manufacturing, optical communication, smart sensors, design of VLSI circuits, integrated manufacturing, hydrogen, synthesis and structure of complex molecules, organometallic and cluster chemistry, ultra fast reaction dynamics, combinatorial chemistry, corrosion, evolution of Indian crust, study of earthquake processes, climate observation and modelling, severe weather system, stochastic process modelling, optimisation and game theory etc.

(c) The achievement made in basic science and technology by a country is measured internationally in terms of research papers published. As per the Science Citation Index (SCI), the number of papers published by India has increased steadily over the years. In 1995 India published 11,084 papers which increased to 19,448 papers in 2005. Its share in terms of the total world output has also increased from 1.56 % in 1995 to 1.92 % in 2005. In 2005, USA ranked 1st , China 5th , India 14th while Brazil and Pakistan ranked 16th and 19th respectively in terms of the number of scientific papers published.