Lok Sabha Question No. 903 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-07
Subject: Global Innovation Index
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati, Ranjeeta Koli, Manoj Rajoria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 903

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2024

## GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX

903. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI: SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI: DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India's ranking in Global Innovation Index has improved over the years;
- (b) if so, the changes which are apparent on ground specially in terms of availability and affordability;
- (c) the quantum of amount spent by the Government on science and technology related research during the last decade along with its rank in the world level; and
- (d) the  details  of  measures  implemented  by  the  Government  to  support  researchers  by creating international opportunities and also ensuring job security within the country with the aim of preventing brain drain and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a): Yes, Sir. India's ranking in the Global Innovation Index has improved from 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023.

- (b): Discernible changes, because of the above illustrated improvement in India's ranking in the  Global  Innovation  Index,  have  been  observed  on  the  ground  in  terms  of  the availability  and  the  affordability  of  innovative  solutions.  They  include  India's  recent strides in the following sectors:
- (i) Space sector.
- (ii) Renewable Energy sector.
- (iii) Defence sector, especially the indigenous development and production of defence equipment of various types.
- (iv) Biotechnology sector,  especially  the  indigenous  development  and  production  of vaccines and oxygen concentrators to combat the Covid 19 pandemic.
- (v) Online learning tools for affordable education.
- (c): As  per  latest  R&D  Statistics,  2022-23  brought  out  by  Department  of  Science  and Technology,  the  amount  spent  by  the  Government  on  science  and  technology  related research during last decade is given in Table below:

| The amount spent by the Government on science and technology related research during last decade   | The amount spent by the Government on science and technology related research during last decade   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                                               | (Rs. in Cr.)                                                                                       |
| 2011-12                                                                                            | 42,665.62                                                                                          |
| 2012-13                                                                                            | 46,886.28                                                                                          |
| 2013-14                                                                                            | 48,841.09                                                                                          |
| 2014-15                                                                                            | 54,935.05                                                                                          |
| 2015-16                                                                                            | 59,430.29                                                                                          |
| 2016-17                                                                                            | 63,974.55                                                                                          |
| 2017-18                                                                                            | 71,969.15                                                                                          |
| 2018-19                                                                                            | 82,250.19                                                                                          |
| 2019-20                                                                                            | 87,813.47                                                                                          |
| 2020-21                                                                                            | 80,992.83                                                                                          |

Further, as per the R&D  Statistics published by the  Department  of  Science  & Technology, Government of India during 2016-17, 2019-20 and 2022-23, India's ranking in the World level in R&D expenditure (in Billion PPP $) is at 7 th position.

- (d) Some  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  aiming  to  retain  our  scientific workforce  and  thereby  reducing  brain  drain  by  creating  adequate  opportunities  to support researchers in the country are as follows:
- (i) Science  and  Engineering  Research  Board  (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 though its Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty Scheme.
- (ii) Department of Science and Technology (DST), launched Vaishvik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV)  Fellowship for fostering collaboration between scientists  of  Indian  Diaspora  with  Indian  Higher  Educational  Institutions (HEIs), Universities and/ or public funded Scientific Institutions.
- (iii) Extramural funding schemes of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT)  and  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial Research (CSIR) including schemes like Start-up Research Grant, Core Research Grant, Research fellowships such as JC Bose, Swarnajayanti, National Postdoctoral Fellowship, MK Bhan-Young Researcher Fellowship and Raman Research  Fellowship  targeted  at  scientific  community  to  empower  them  to pursue world-class research in cutting edge areas.
- (iv) Several  schemes  for  building  research  infrastructure  for  enhancing  research capabilities such as Fund for improvement of S&T  infrastructures in universities and higher educational institutions (FIST), are being implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
- (v) The  Scientific  Ministries  and  Departments  have  a  flexible  Complementing Scheme / Merit based promotion scheme and Performance Related Incentive Scheme to provide secure career progression to the scientists.
- (vi) The Scientific Ministries and Departments have enhanced the monthly stipend for  their  Junior  Research  Fellows,  Senior  Research  Fellows  and  Research Associates.
- (vii) Further,  the  Scientific  Ministries  and  Departments  also  provides  financial assistance  to  research  students  to  attend  the  seminars/  symposia  abroad  to present their research work with the objective to gain from the experience and research of the foreign scientific fraternity in their specialized areas.

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