New STI policy will put India among top three scientific superpowers

ASHUTOSH SHARMA, WHO is secretary to the Government of India, heading the department of science and technology, believes that India requires a robust science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem since it is an important enabler of economic growth, social welfare and better livelihood.

In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, he touched upon a range of issues including the opening of the sensitive geospatial sector, the importance of accurate mapping in mitigating the effects of natural calamities like the recent Uttarakhand flash floods and the possibility of a Central subscription plan for science journals and magazines.

Excerpts from the interview:

Where does India stand globally in STI? Will the new STI policy help us compete with the best in the world?

India is number three in the world in the number of scientific publications, PhDs produced and startups. Our innovation index has made a rapid climb to the top 50. However, quality, relevance and absorption of R&D needs strengthening. It is now widely recognised that scientific advances and innovation are not only promoters of economic growth, but also crucial instruments for socially and environmentally sustainable development. The draft STI policy aims to provide relevant directives to the Indian STI ecosystem in order to realise the aspirations of technological self-reliance and place India among the top three scientific superpowers in the coming decade.

Since STI is an important enabler of economic growth, social welfare and better livelihood for the citizens, a robust STI ecosystem will be of immense benefit. Moreover, a strong emphasis on science communication and citizen science in the STI policy is a timely step to improve participation of citizens in science.

Your views on the decision to open up India’s mapping and geospatial sector?

The Survey of India has the mandate of surveying and mapping. Geospatial data includes location information and attribute information and it usually involves information of public interest such as roads, localities, rail lines, water bodies and public amenities. Geospatial data is pervasive, but important. It is important for planning, decision-making, governance and developmental activities. It keeps in mind the security needs of the country and is done in concurrence with security agencies under the ministries of defence and home affairs.

What is its impact on the economy?

The mapping business is worth about Rs20,000 crore a year and it is expected to touch Rs1,00,000 crore in the next ten years. Its impact on the economy would be many times more. The impact of mapping on services, logistics and infrastructure [will be huge]. The geospatial data combines location information, attribute information (the characteristics of the object, event, or phenomena concerned) and often temporal information or the time at which the location and the attributes exist. We need to be accurate in mapping with faster speed across the country, which government agencies alone may not be able to perform. So, we have decided to rope in private players as well. It allows a level-playing field for government and private entities. Moreover, government agencies collect data using taxpayers’ money, and it must be freely shared with private companies at a fair price. It, however, does not include security-related data like what is provided by military establishments.

How did you manage to convince the security agencies?

We have considered security concerns using the best global practices. For instance, there is a negative list of attributes including nuclear reactors and military bases. The guiding principle is, whatever is easily available globally, should not be regulated. Besides a negative list of attributes, the physical access issue has also been taken note of in order to address the concerns of security agencies.

There is a lot of talk about a single Central subscription plan for science journals and magazines. Is it feasible?

No other country as big as India has ever tried such an approach before. This is an important vision to empower every Indian with the power of scientific knowledge. Admittedly, it is a difficult issue, and multiple stakeholders such as publishers and other knowledge producers and consumers need to work together to resolve it. However, the underlying philosophy and direction is clear.

Can the STI policy change the way industry, academia and research institutions work in our country as all of them are working on their own, mostly without any kind of synergy?

The STI policy has formulated an elaborate strategy to build strong bridges among industry, academia and research institutions so that collaborations bring additional and substantial benefits to each one of them and to the country. The policy aims to develop mutual understanding and respect between Saraswati and Lakshmi (knowledge and wealth) for the good of all.

There is buzz about scientific social responsibility (SSR) on the lines of corporate social responsibility. Can you please explain?

The draft SSR policy is being formulated and has been submitted for cabinet approval. It focuses on building synergy among all stakeholders in our scientific knowledge community and developing direct linkages between science and society. The aim of SSR is to reach students, farmers, MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), startups and others to empower them with the substantial scientific information, infrastructure and human resources at our command.

Do we have enough mechanisms to prevent yet another flash flood, like the recent one which caused devastation in Uttarakhand?

We do not have enough mechanisms to predict natural calamities like what happened recently in Uttarakhand, but the speed and accuracy of mapping will certainly aid disaster management. I would say early warning by accurate and real time data can mitigate the impact of disaster.