Despite India's scientific prowess, the country has failed to produce any path-breaking research or Nobel Laureates for the last several decades. Discuss critically.

Despite India’s scientific prowess, the country has failed to produce any path-breaking research or Nobel Laureates for the last several decades. This can be attributed to the rigid bureaucratic system, which has undermined the progress of science and technology in India.
There has been a constant cut in research budget, and it has been static for about a decade at a paltry 0.9 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). China is spending almost 2 per cent.
The government of India has already set up many more IITs, IISERs and IIMs, but it is important to improve the quality of these institutes and bring them at par with the international standards by enhancing the basic Research and Development infrastructure.
To make this realistic, government needs to spend more on building up world-class infrastructure which would encourage industrial engagement with these institutes as well as researches in pure sciences. This, in turn would also provide employment opportunities to the large population of research scholars passing out of these institutes.

• Also there is hardly any international-level research being performed in the universities.
• In the endeavor complete revamping of the University

Grants Commission (UGC) is needed. Unnecessary Ordinances and rules set by UGC undermine the spirit of academic excellence and hamper institutions’ flexibility.
Talent identification is too late in India. In western countries, talent is spotted at the graduate level and nurtured.
Scientific temper should be inculcated in the children by modifying the school curriculum in such a way that it entails lot of practical sessions rather than the mere “chalk and talk” sessions. Need of the hour is an enabling environment.

Topics: GS-III: Achievements of Indians in Science Technology