Science and Technology Policy 2013

Science Affairs Institutional Structure

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Science, technology and innovation can exist separately on their own in disconnected spaces. But, it is their integration that leads to new value creation. India’s global competitiveness will be determined by the extent to which the STI enterprise contributes social good and/or economic wealth. There is, therefore, the need to create the necessary framework for enabling this integration in identified priority areas by exploiting endogenous resources, strengths and capacities. New structural mechanisms and models are needed to address the pressing challenges of energy and environment, food and nutrition, water and sanitation, habitat, affordable health care and skill building and unemployment. “Science technology and innovation for the people” is the new paradigm of the Indian STI enterprise.

India has declared 2010-20 as the “Decade of Innovation”. The Government has stressed the need to enunciate a policy to synergize science, technology and innovation and has also established the National Innovation Council (NInC). The STI Policy 2013 is in furtherance of these pronouncements. It aims to bring fresh perspectives to bear on innovation in the Indian context.

Policy Vision

The guiding vision of aspiring Indian STI enterprise is to accelerate the pace of discovery and delivery of science-led solutions for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. A strong and viable Science, Research and Innovation System for High Technology-led path for India (SRISHTI) is the goal of the new STI policy.

Changing Phases of National Policies in S&T

India’s Scientific Policy Resolution (SPR) of 1958 resolved to “foster, promote and sustain” the “cultivation of science and scientific research in all its aspects”. Technology was then expected to flow from the country’s established science infrastructure. The Technology Policy Statement (TPS) of 1983 emphasized the need to attain technological competence and self-reliance. The Science and Technology Policy (STP) of 2003 brought science and technology (S&T) together and emphasized the need for investment in R&D. It called for integrating programmes of socio-economic sectors with the national R&D system to address national problems as well as creating a national innovation system.

The key elements of the STI policy are:

Promoting the spread of scientific temper amongst all sections of society.
Enhancing skill for applications of science among the young from all social strata.
Making careers in science, research and innovation attractive enough for talented and bright minds.
Establishing world class infrastructure for R&D for gaining global leadership in some select frontier areas of science.
Positioning India among the top five global scientific powers by 2020.
Linking contributions of science, research and innovation system with the inclusive economic growth agenda and combining priorities of excellence and relevance.
Creating an environment for enhanced Private Sector Participation in R&D.
Enabling conversion of R&D outputs into societal and commercial applications by replicating hitherto successful models as well as establishing of new PPP structures.
Seeding S&T-based high-risk innovations through new mechanisms.
Fostering resource-optimized, cost-effective innovations across size and technology domains.
Triggering changes in the mindset and value systems to recognize, respect and reward performances which create wealth from S&T derived knowledge.
Creating a robust national innovation system.

Specifically the policy will focus on:

Prioritizing critical R&D areas like agriculture, telecommunications, energy, water management, health and drug discovery, materials, environment and climate variability and change.
Promoting inter-disciplinary research, including traditional knowledge.
Fostering the delivery and use in the society of innovations in the strategic sectors with civilian application potential.
Establishing of a Fund for Innovations for Social Inclusion.
Leveraging traditional knowledge through modern science for finding solutions to national challenges.
Supporting STI driven entrepreneurship with viable and highly scalable business models.
Investing in young innovators and entrepreneurs through education, training and mentoring.