Encouraging indigenous research and innovation

India has a rich history of indigenous knowledge and innovation that dates back thousands of years. From Ayurveda to yoga, India's traditional practices have gained worldwide recognition for their effectiveness and relevance in modern times.

Today, as India strives to become a Global Innovation Hub, there is a renewed focus to leverage our knowledge and practices. With a population of over 1.3 billion and a rapidly expanding economy, India faces a range of complex challenges. To address these challenges, India is prioritizing and focusingon various schemes to boost research and innovation.

Fostering joint efforts between Academia, Industry, Non-profit Organizations and Government plays a significant role.

Importance of research and innovation

Research and innovation are critical for growth of the Country, as they help to drive economic and social development and helps in increasing environmental sustainability. They play an important role in generating revenue, creating job opportunities, addressing social challenges, and improving the quality of life for the people. The growth in research and innovation helps Indian businesses compete globally and improve their market share. The use of the latest technologies and further research shall help to preserve natural resources and can help to address environmental challenges such as climate change and pollution.

Challenges for research and innovation in India

Despite several initiatives taken by the government and non-governmental organizations, there are still several challenges, including lack of adequate funding, absence of adequate infrastructure and facilities. Shortage of highly skilled and trained professionals makes it difficult for organizations to find and retain the talent they need to drive innovation. Furthermore, the bureaucratic hurdles also pose challenge to the growth of research and innovation.

Encouraging indigenous research and innovation in India

India has a vast pool of talent with innovative ideas. To encourage more indigenous research and innovation, the country needs to focus on the following:

l Increasing investment in research and development

The government needs to increase its investment in research and development. Investment shall be directed towards spreading awareness and importance of indigenous research, fundamental research, applied research, and the development of innovative technologies. India's gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a percentage of GDP is at 0.7%. It is very low when compared to major economies and way below the world average of 1.8%. The government needs to find ways to steadily increase it to 2% of GDP for R&D.

l Improving the quality of education

The quality of education in India needs to be updated with the latest technical programs to produce a skilled workforce in the streams of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Proper implementation of India's National Education Policy 2020 across the Country could play a big role.

l Encouraging collaborations between Academia and Industry

Collaboration between academia and industry can lead to the development of innovative products and services. The government can extend its support by providing incentives to companies that invest in research & development and collaborate with academic institutions.

l Providing adequate infrastructure

Adequate infrastructure is essential to promote the scope of research and innovation in the country. The government needs to invest in research facilities, laboratories, and other advanced infrastructure required for scientific research.

Non-profit organisations promoting the growth of research and innovation

Non-profit organizations can play a significant role in encouraging and promoting research and innovation in India. They can act as a bridge to promote collaborations between academia and industry, helping them to bring innovative ideas to market. Non-profit organizations can act as a medium to provide training and mentoring to entrepreneurs and startups, helping them to develop innovative products and services and grow their businesses.

Support schemes and initiatives by the government

The government of India has taken numerous initiatives to encourage research and innovation in the country. Initiatives launched by the government arepromoting research and innovation in various sectors, providing funding and support for startups and researchers.

To expand the scope of research and innovation in the country, the government has established Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to support research in science and engineering. Similarly, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) covers a wide spectrum of science and technology. The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is an initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country.Along the same lines, the Startup India initiative isintended to catalyze startup culture.

Furthermore, in its latest effort to encourage research and innovation, the government, in its recent Union Budget 2023, has allocated funding of Rs. 2,000 crores for the proposed National Research Foundation (NRF),a body to catalyze, facilitate, coordinate, seed, grow, and mentor research in institutions across the country.

Conclusion

Research and innovation are critical drivers of progress and growth. From addressing social and environmental challenges to boosting economic development and competitiveness, research and innovation play a crucial role in shaping the future. While there are some challenges, India is making significant strides to promote Research & Innovation and Entrepreneurship, with a range of initiatives and policies.

Moving forward, it will be important for India to continue to increase investments in research and innovation; address challenges; foster collaboration between industry, academia &NGOs; recognize& reward home grown researchers and their contributions. Thus, India can leverage its expertise and resources to develop innovative solutions to complex problems and become a Global Innovation Hub.

(The author is the Director, Consortium for Technical Education)