Set up national research mission: Pitroda to PM
November 17, 2008: The Indian Express
WHILE there has been 85 per cent growth in the num ber of doctorates in China between1991and2001,Indiahas shownonly20percentgrowth. Further, not more than 1 per cent of those who complete undergraduate degrees opt for doctoral studies in India, the NationalKnowledgeCommission (NKC) has said.
In a letter to the Prime Minister written last week, Sam Pitroda, Chairman NKC, has urged for a ‘mission approach’ to draw students to research and academics against this dismal backdrop. Calling for a target to triple the research base in the country within the next 12 years, Pitroda has recommended that a national research mission be established in the current five-year plan under the National Science and Engineering Research Board that will soon be set up.
The commission has called for a series of academic reforms for more ‘professional administration of universities’, de-politicisation of the appointments of VCs and registrars, and administrative autonomy. To make research an attractive career option, introduction of well-planned fouryear course to enable direct entry into PhD programmes, credit portability across a network of institutions, increased funding for R&D, improved teacher training at schoollevel, effective monitoring and assessment mechanisms have been suggested.
“Thereisapressingneedfor urgent Government policy interventions, including high priority initiatives to attract, nurture, and retain the country’s best young minds in academia and research. With this objective, the NKC conducted a widespread investigative survey across the country and abroad. While the NKC welcomes the augmented allocation for education in the Eleventh-Five Year Plan, it is important that these funds are effectively utilised to make a visible difference in our academic landscape,¶ Pitroda has written in his letter to the PM As part of the NKC’s survey, a detailed questionnaire was sent to institutions and more than 250 people responded to it. A one-day workshop was held where prominent members from diverse industries, academic and research institutions and universities deliberated on these issues.
The NKC has recom mended urgent ‘regulatory reforms’ in higher education, reducing regulation while improving governance — a key recommendation made repeatedly by the commission but one that has not gone down well with the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry.
Pitroda has called for major academic reforms, greater autonomy for departments withinuniversitiestointroduce new relevant courses, encouragement and rewards for innovation in teaching and research, greater flexibility and increased funding for university departments to recruit and retaingoodfacultyfromacross the world, periodic peer reviews of departments in the universities and encouraging recruitmentofcapableandtalented younger faculty.
The NKC has pointed out that a rejuvenation of doctoral programmes is necessary with a careful selection procedure for prospective doctoral students and greater exposure of undergraduateandpostgraduate students to cutting edge research.
To ensure high quality of doctoral work, the NKC has suggested that a preliminary vettingofsynopses,followedby rigorous external examination of doctoral theses, wider dissemination of research work through digital media in universities and research institutes and encouraging doctoral students to teach with remuneration provided via teaching assistantship would help create a globaldoctoralquality.
The commission feels that jointcollaborationswithglobal research institutes and establishing meaningful links with NRI/PIO scientists could help give global cutting edge to Indianresearchquality.
