Science labs must align their priorities to national needs: PM

Pune, Apr 1 (PTI) Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh
on Thursday asked premier scientific institutions in the
country to contribute to the creation of wealth in the society
and align their priorities to national needs.
"It is our scientific capabilities that will determine
our ability to overcome challenges which lie ahead in areas
such as climate change, clean energy, environment friendly
technologies, water management, affordable health care, food
security and biotechnology," he said at the Diamond Jubilee
celebrations of the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) here.
"The country looks up to its premier scientific
institutions like the NCL for finding solutions to some of the
most vexing problems that confront our society and development
efforts. Our scientific laboratories must align their
priorities even more closely to the national needs.
"They must contribute to the creation of wealth and
deliver solutions which would change the lives of the most
vulnerable sections of our society," Singh said.
Emphasising the role of scientific institutions in
producing solutions to social needs, the prime minster said,
"Solutions must be found in a timely manner and must then move
out of the laboratory quickly and gain wider acceptance."
Noting that the government had declared 2010-2020 as the
'Decade of Innovations', he said, "We need to instill the
spirit of innovation in our young minds so that they could
Expressing concern over insufficient numbers of students
taking up science after 10+2 stage, Singh said, "It is
important to bring our bright young men and women into the
fold of exciting and stimulating research environment of
colleges and universities."
There is a need to improve the quality of teaching
science in schools, focus on faculty development, increase our
expenditure on science and technology from the current low
level of about one per cent of our GDP and further strengthen
academia-industry interface.
"Our competitive advantage in the R and D sector may be
lost unless we ensure that the country produces on a
continuing basis an adequate number of competent and motivated
young people who could lead our national laboratories, science
agencies and knowledge based industries," he said.
Laying down foundation stone of the new campus of Indian
Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), the prime
minster said the project aims at creating world class
institutions for higher education in science.
Hailing role of NCL -- one of the first research
laboratories conceived by Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR)-- Singh said the laboratory had made a seminal
contribution to Indian pesticide industry.
"Post 1970, the research conducted at the NCL had given
birth to the Indian generic drug industry, a forerunner to the
vibrant Indian pharmaceutical industry of today. More
recently, NCL has contributed to the growth of petrochemicals,
polymers and fine chemical industry," he said.
Stating that the power and status of a nation is
determined by its achievements in science and technology, the
prime minister urged scientific institutions to assume a
leadership role and take on the "challenge to build a new and
resurgent India". PTI HBJ
AHM