GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 144
TO BE ANSWERED ON 27-02-2008

INDIA'S RANKING IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

187. SHRIMATI N.P. DURGA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state

(a) whether it is a fact that one of the recent reports listed India at 6th position in so far as having quality of scientific research institution are concerned;
(b) whether it is also fact that another report listed India at 17th position as far as having quality of scientific research institutions are concerned;
(c) if so, the real position of India with regard to having quality of scientific research institutions in the world;
(d) the basis on which quality of scientific research is assessed; and
(e) the efforts Government is making to further rejuvenate and promote scientific research in universities and other institutions in the country?


ANSWER

MINISTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (d) According to the "Global Competitiveness Report" brought out by the World Economic Forum, India's rank varied from 14th to 22nd during the last 5 years in terms of quality of scientific research institutions. The recent report of 2007-08 ranked India at 22nd position. The ranking of quality of scientific research institutions is based on the cross-country annual surveys conducted by the World Economic Forum.

(e) The Indian Government have taken various steps to rejuvenate and promote scientific research in the country. Some of these measures include:

• Induction of new and attractive fellowships for young and performing scientists;
  
• Creation of new Scientific Departments/Organisations;
  
• Setting up of centres of excellence/advanced studies/incubation centres in the universities, academic institutions and laboratories;
  
• Creation of core groups of professionals with necessary modern facilities required for pursuing research in new and frontier areas of science;
  
• Increase in the outlay for science and technology sector in successive Five Year Plans;
  
• Provision of sharing the external earnings with the scientists or innovator and its periodic revision in terms of IPR, Contract Research & Consultancy;
  
• S&T based training for entrepreneurial development;
  
• Contact programmes to attract and motivate brilliant young scientists to take up R&D as a career;
  
• Early Faculty Induction Programme, which aims at attracting bright and young under-graduate students in Engineering and Technology/Pharmacy/Architecture, etc. to take up research as their career;
  
• Fast Track Scheme for young scientists;
  
• Financial assistance given to scientists/ young researchers to participate in international conferences and training programmes abroad;
  
• Fellowships providing better opportunities for Young Scientists to visit international laboratories and S&T institutions;
  
• Invitation to distinguished men and women of Indian origin settled abroad for short term technical assignments to assist in frontier and emerging areas of S&T.