Lok Sabha Question No. 2940 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-03
Subject: Brain Drain
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: K. Shanmuga Sundaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2940

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2022

## BRAIN DRAIN

2940. SHRI SHANMUGA SUNDARAM K:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ मंğी be pleased to state: -

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government to prevent the brain drain of young talents in the STEM sector;
- (b) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  the participation of women in STEM sector; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therein?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ तथा पृØवी ǒव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार)

(डॉ. ǔजतɅġ िसंह)

- (a) The  Government  has  taken  some  major  initiatives  to  create  adequate opportunities  in  the  country  to  retain  highly  skilled  talent  pool  and  also encourage  return  of  the  best-in-class  scientists,  from  abroad,  to  India,  for enhancing  the  nation's  capabilities  in  various  areas  of  scientific  research, development  and  deployment.  Special  attention  has  been  given  to  young scientists for making them independent and motivate them to continue their research in the country;  Some of the key initiatives include; the diversity of extramural funding schemes of Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Fellowship schemes of DST, DBT and  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  to  encourage researchers  to  do  quality  research  in  the  country;  several  schemes  / programmes  for  building  research  infrastructure  for  enhancing  research capabilities  such as Fund  for improvement  of  S&T  infrastructures in universities and higher educational institutions (FIST) have been instituted; schemes like Core Research Grant, Research fellowships such as JC Bose and Swarnajayanti  are  targeted  at  scientific  community  to  empower  them  to

pursue world-class research in cutting edge areas of science and technology; A large number of young scientists have been supported through schemes like Start-up Research Grant, National Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) and MK  Bhan-Young Researcher Fellowship  Programme  of  DBT.  Visiting  Advanced  Joint  Research  (VAJRA) Faculty Scheme of SERB provides a platform for overseas scientists including Non-Resident Indians to undertake collaborative research in Indian Institutions and  Universities for a finite period of time. The  Flexible Complementing  Scheme  /  Merit  based  promotion  scheme  positioned  in scientific  departments  and  introduction  of  Performance  Related  Incentive Scheme  (PRIS)  in  strategic  Departments  have  also  been  instrumental  in recruiting  and  retaining  the  scientists.  All  these  measures  taken  by  the Government are aimed at retaining our scientific workforce in the country and thereby reduce brain drain.

- (b)  Some  of  the  key  steps  taken  by  the  government  to  promote  the participation of women in STEM sector include; the women scientist specific schemes  of  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST)  to  provide opportunities to women scientists and technologists, especially those who had a break in career under its three components namely, i) Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) for conducting research in Basic & Applied Sciences, ii) Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B) for research that entail S&T interventions for societal benefit, and iii) Women Scientists Scheme-C (WOSC)  for  internship  in  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPRs).  'Consolidation  of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE)'  programme  of  DST  provides  support  for  development  of  research infrastructure in women universities to encourage women's participation in R&D activities. 'Vigyan Jyoti' is a new programme to encourage meritorious girl  students  of  class  9-12  to  pursue  education  and  career  in  science  and technology  particularly  in  the  areas  where  women  are  underrepresented. Another  new  initiative  'Gender  Advancement  for  Transforming  Institutions (GATI)' aims to transform institutions for more gender sensitive approach and inclusiveness  with  ultimate  goal  to  improve  the  gender  equity  in  STEMM (Science,  Technology  Engineering,  Mathematics  and  Medicine).  'Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM' programme provides opportunities to women scientists & technologists to undertake International collaborative research in  premier  institutions  in  the  USA  for  3-6  months.  A  scheme  titled  'SERBPOWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research)' has been launched recently to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering  research  funding  in  various  S&T  programs  in  Indian  academic institutions and research and development (R&D) laboratories.
- (c) Does not arise.

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