Lok Sabha Question No. 4060 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Efforts to Promote Basic Sciences
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Arvind Ganpat Sawant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4060 ANSWERED ON 19/03/2021

## EFFORTS TO PROMOTE BASIC SCIENCES

## 4060.  DR. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी to state:

be pleased

- (a)      whether  India  is  lagging  behind  in  promoting  basic  sciences  as  compared  to developed countries;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)      the  details  of  the  concrete  efforts  thought  of and  proposed  to  be made by  the Government to fill the gap?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी , वान और ौयोगक मंी और पृवी वान मंी डॉ . हष वधन

(a)  to  (c):  India  does  not  lag  behind  in  promoting  basic  sciences  as  compared  to developed countries. The Government has been constantly engaged in promoting basic sciences in the country through various measures such as successive increase in plan allocations for scientific departments, setting up of institutions for science education and research, creation of Centres of Excellence and Facilities in emerging and frontline  areas  of  Science  &  Technology  (S&T),  supporting  Mega  Facilities  for  Basic Research,  launching  of  new  schemes  and  fellowships.  As  per  National  Science Foundation  (NSF),  USA  2020,  in  terms  of  scientific  publication,  which  is  a  primary outcome indicator of basic science research, India ranked 3rd in 2018 as compared to 6th   in  2014.  This  indicates  that  India  is  ranked  ahead  of  many  developed  and developing countries  including  BRICS  except  China.  India  has  witnessed  significant increase  in  research  output  from  74,143  in  2011  to  1,35,788  in  2018  as  per  NSF database.  India's  growth  rate  of  scientific  publication  as  per  the  NSF  database  was 10.7% as against the world average of 3.8% during 2008-18.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) including its statutory body, Science  and  Engineering  Research  Board  (SERB)  has  been  implementing  several schemes and programmes such as Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST), Sophisticated  Analytical  Instrument  Facilities  (SAIF),  Nano  Mission,  Innovation  in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), Women Scientist Scheme (WOS), Core Research Grant (CRG), Intensification of Research in High Priority Areas (IRHPA), StartUp Research Grant, National Postdoctoral Fellowship, Research fellowships such as JC Bose and Swarnajayanti etc. to elevate the basic research in country to higher levels. Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT)  has  been  promoting  basic  research  in  Modern Biology,  as  a  separate  programme  to  create  a  knowledge driven  biotech  sector  and constantly supporting basic research projects in life sciences at various institutions/

organizations for understanding the fundamental biological processes/ mechanisms of cellular biology as well as their application for the benefits of the mankind. The Council of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  is  also  promoting  fundamental  research across all its constituent laboratories. CSIR is implementing basic research in specific categories such as CSIR-Fundamental & Innovative Research in Science of Tomorrow (CSIR-FIRST) and Focussed Basic Research and Niche Creating Projects. In  elevating  the  quality  of  basic  research,  the  Ministry  has  constantly  been introducing new schemes and programmes to address and attend changing needs of S&T landscape. This includes institution of schemes like SERB-SUPRA (Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement) which looks for projects beyond normal core research  and  purposefully  designed  for  high  quality  proposals  consisting  of  new hypothesis  or  challenge  existing  ones,  and  provide  'out-of-box'  solutions.  DBT  is planning  to  establish  multiple  DBT-Partnership  Centres  in  basic  research  in  leading Institutes/  Universities  of  India  in  a  Hub  and  Spoke  model  wherein  top  ranking institutes/ universities will act as Hub and its nearby institutes may act as Spokes to ensure  capacity  and  infrastructure  building  in  terms  of  basic  research  at  these institutions.

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