Science and technology policy in independent India has been a matter of political debate from the early days. At the center of this debate has been the question of how to foster innovation in science and technology. Innovation requires a nurturing environment that encourages creativity, values professional competence, and strives for excellence.
Agricultural modernity: In brief, the agricultural sector has achieved self-sufficiency and has seen productivity increase due to the green revolution and due to biotechnology. But these developments were not sufficient to lift the majority of Indians from poverty. This was due to the fact that its agricultural modernization was based mostly on input-intensive agriculture, which failed to develop the productive potential of agriculture, resulting in increasing external dependence.
Industrialization: Being a developing country, India had to go through the process of industrialization to compete with countries like the United States. It started in nineteenth century when technological developments were made, which dramatically changed the way people lived and thought. One consequence was that people in industrialized areas thought of themselves as progressive and modern.
Space exploration: In the present time, India has grown as one of the most powerful nations in the field of space exploration. India’s first satellite was launched in 1975, Aryabhata. It was made in an Indian institute called Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Today ISRO is involved in several projects related to space, from launching communication satellites to remote satellites. To make these satellites reach their destinations, ISRO has developed many launch vehicles. Of all their launch vehicles PSLV is one that has been used for most of their satellite launches with very remarkable results.
Secular nation: The idea of a secular nation goes back to the pre-independence India. The Constitution of India established the principle of secularism in a multi-religious country, and prohibits any religious instruction in any educational institution wholly maintained out of state funds. But some critics have seen these as mere lip service because states with a clear majority are ruled by parties that give them an overwhelming majority making them virtually immune to any opposition from the minorities.
Corruption: Corruption is widely recognized as a major problem in India. For a country that must reach double-digit economic growth in order to pull its citizens out of poverty, corruption is a big obstacle that hinders development. There are fast-track courts against crime, but no fast-track courts to punish the corrupt.
Social divide: Social divisions are a problem in any country. India faces several challenges regarding the social divide. A large part of India still follows the caste system, which is thousands of years old. The caste system differentiates the population into groups based on their birth. This social system divides rich and poor people and hinders education for the lower-citizen groups as well as equal participation in jobs and society. The other challenge that India faces is the lack of secularism, as its government has no secular policy to uphold freedom of religion.
Inequality: Inequality is one of the greatest challenges India is facing. Its revival as a global economic power raises a key question: whether it can use its size and newfound wealth to become a more equal society.
Health and Education: Providing for the healthcare needs of India’s poor is a daunting challenge. While India’s economy keeps growing, its ability to provide health services remains severely limited.
Infrastructure development: Infrastructure development provides the framework within which private sector participation in priority areas can be envisaged. Digital technology is potentially a very powerful enabler, which can play a key role in enabling rural populations to access more efficiently government programmes related to education, health, food security, financial inclusion, employment generation etc.
Collaborative effort: Collaborative efforts are becoming the crux of a country’s investment plans. Predominately found among developed economies, it is also being practiced in developing countries driven by increasing population and growing demand for good living. The businesses are looking at collaborating with different stakeholders to reduce their impact on society and help them progress.
Education and health spending: Educational and health services are critical for human development, and public spending is an effective instrument to reduce inequalities and to promote the overall level of investments in the poor’s human capital. Public expenditures have high externalities — benefits that accrue to other people than those paying for them — because education and health are important determinants of a household’s productivity.
Focus on access: While it is important to think about science and technology for societal development, the focus should be on access, inclusion and equity to link societal development with science and technology policy. In order to ensure that a country like India can achieve its goal of science and technology for societal development, science and technology policy should focus on access, inclusion and equity.