Concerns in Indian science
Subhra Priyadarshini
Saturday, 10 November 2007 06:53 UTC
I would like to know from researchers and young scientists what their major areas of concern are. I am trying to understand the kind of operational issues that young scientists in India confront on a regular basis and things they would like to change in their research labs or institutes.
Updated 30 November 2007 07:34 UTC
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Thanks for posing an interesting question. Well, I have a large number of concerns but will put down the more pertinent ones:
- First and foremost is the way science & scientific/ research institutions are perceived by graduate/ PG students. I’m pointing towards brain drain. Accepted that we might not have a smooth infrastructure and/ or state-of-the-art labs, but if we just keep flying overseas situation won’t improve. Needed-> Inspired minds who can show that world-class science can be done in India too.
- I also wish that more & more Indian companies come in market which actually manufacture, instead of distributing, lab reagents, consumables and most importantly: high-throughput scientific equipments which can be at par with the best in the market. Then we wouldn’t neither have to wait for months to get our hands on reagents nor would have to spend fortune for acquiring lab. equipments. Hoping for replies and comments from concerned minds..
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Welcome Amit.
Yes, brain-drain is a sad reality. But if it is any solace, you have a reverse brain-drain phenomenon brewing in US labs. You might want to have a look at this recent research that confronts conventional notions on the subject. Your patriotism is infectious.As for your concern on the poorly stocked market of consumables and equipment for Indian labs, it is a genuine cause for worry. I have also heard of scientist friends not being able to send across project proposals to foreign collaborators because their servers were down for weeks! Let’s hope we can address these issues and more when we hear from other young scientists like you.
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Yes, it does seem positive. Anything that increases productive scientific manpower in India is welcome. And I’m sure that Nature India can significantly help by highlighting promising achievements from labs across the country. Thank you for giving a positive outlook.
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I think brain-drain is overly lamented. Scientists are a global bred, they go where opportunities take them and where they perceive their talents might be best received. What India can do is increase R&D funding and make it easier to get the funding. As a former professor of mine in IIT who had moved to India from US said “I spend twice as much time trying to secure 1/10th as much funding”.
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ahh…the dangers of not previewing. Breed not bred.
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Obvious, Farhat. In times when personal achievements and success seem to overshadow collective/national gains, what else can one expect? That throws a cliched question on our face: where does patriotism figure in today’s science? Are we so stripped of role models and leaders that we have to look up the dictionary when someone says ‘national interest’? It would be good to know what today’s global Indian scientist feels about these things.
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Patriotism alone cannot hold a person from moving to better opportunites. Thank god we have crossed the age when anyone going abroad was deemed unpatriotic. Science is not bounded by national boundaries and in this ever-shrinking world, both in terms of time and space, scientists must have the freedom to go anywhere they wish. They must have the best of opportunites and the best of resources and facilities to work. We cannot afford brilliant scientific talents to waste away due lack of proper facilities.
However, coming to the topic proper, it is too easy for us to crib about the poor facilities in Indian research labs. But we have to keep in mind the larger picture – India is still a developing country and has miles to go before it can afford better living conditions to its people. When there is a vast majority of the population reeling under economic hardship, it is impossible to provide world-class facilities for scientific research. As our country prospers economically, our research facilities will improve and we will see a slow-down in the so-called brain drain. Till that time we must be proud to have our scientific talents use the best of opportunities worldwide. I strongly believe that with the launch of Nature India our researchers will have more access to information and news on topics of their interest. They too in turn can show-case their research work on a global platform. With the section on Nature Jobs they will also be able to apply for positions in different parts of the world.
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Patriotism is not much of a concern in scientific circles in my experience. Most scientists aren’t very welcoming to artificial boundaries like national ones anyway and will happily collaborate and share their with whoever is interested and can contribute. Most of the people who I know have returned to India did so for familial or cultural reasons not because working elsewhere would have been unpatriotic. And well, there is such a heavy Indian presence in some parts of US that you don’t even feel out of home.
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How true you are, Farhat and Sailendra. And this certainly reflects the thinking of young researchers today. This, unfortunately, is not the same as all the leading lights in Indian science would have us believe. For them, making the most the country’s meagre resources and ‘paying back to the nation’ is still the driving force. And that’s not my view. I have heard these lines far too often during my interactions with some of the biggest names in Indian science.
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Ya, May b my nation may not have world class facilities!!! may not have Manufacturers of Equipments / Reagents… but whats all in keep saying “LACK OF FACILITIES”. Are we ready to think “R da available resources r being used optimistically?”... especially the human resources!Can u say India lack Human Resources!!! But what is the percent of graduates who turn on to Research!!!! I simply ask you…. How many Graduating (B.E. / B.Tech.) from Private Engg. Colleges know that he can join Ph.D. in IISc / IITs / JNCASR & the research opportunities in CSIR labs and the like!!! But almost every one know GATE!!! which is also the qualifying exam for Ph.D. admissions.
Y r people neglecting Ph.D. / Research!!!!
I feel personally that all those institutions with hi-fi research facilities are more alone especially in a country like india with the diverse of Language, if one does not know Hindi he / She can’t survive!!! but not all the people from south know hindi!!! and vice versa
See Research by itself makes one feel home sick!!!
But adding to it is the (language oriented) gang formation. A guy from south India joins for research in North (&vice versa) if does not know Hindi will be isolated!!!Also the senior domination is killing!!!
So this makes one not to travel across states for research!!!
But see people dont even want some one to come into research by simply saying “LACK OF FACILITIES”. This cry by us itself keeps new-comers off!! So they jump to the so called high earning but more energy sucking IT jobs!!!!
I can guarantee that a lot of genius research minds are lost in non research oriented IT jobs!!!So if people keep saying “LACK of FACILITIES” the number of people turning for research will reduce (irrespective of huge increase in no. of Colleges / Seats)and if at all they join they will be annoyed by senior pressure!!!! / Language problems….
So first lets feel proud to be a research person (in India) without keep on saying lack… and help out the new comers by speaking always in the language common (obviously most can at least understand English) and by assisting in getting him / her the basics of lively hoods (atleast for those from a different area / culture / language) and not dominate them as a senior by giving the boring works etc….
Can anybody give ur idea on having a person in all labs who can operate all eqpts and hence guide a new one and also the existing ones…
I feel the more we make the Research arena a “NEW-COMER FRIENDLY” the more we can get of our available strength i.e the human resource….
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