Dr Baldev Raj, former director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, tells
D. Daniel Raj that ‘good science’ will come with higher spending, and urges the government to set goals and targets in newer areas of science, particularly energy

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently said that India’s relative position in the world of science has declined, and that China has overtaken India. How do you think we should enhance science education and scientific output?

China is a bigger economy and spends more than two per cent of its GDP on science and technology, whereas we spend only 0.9 per cent. If we move up to two per cent, I think it is only a matter of time that we will equal China or possibly do better. To say that the relative position of the country has declined is not related to our competence but related to how much we spend.
We need to increase the number of scientists and give them more job opportunities. The government should be generous in improving the funding for good institutions. The results will be excellent if the funding is good. Small institutions should also be funded in proportion to talent. If the R&D funding is increased, then India will do better.
Also, big funding is needed to meet the mega challenges in the country like energy, which is the basis for everything as it has a direct impact on every other research. Also, less bureaucratic systems are needed when it comes to science. The audit system for science should be there, but it should be different from the others so that students can undertake risky research work, no matter whether they come out successful or not. There should be more autonomy. We also need good science manager, who motivate others in the team. Good patents come only when there is risky research and there is good funding for the research. These indicate the need of the hour for Indian science.

Educational institutions and R&D labs have not always worked in tandem. They stand separately. Do you think this strategy will work?

That is true, although there are some that do work closely together. But this has to increase multi-fold. As the challenges increase, the people in R&D find that they need new ideas, that they need more young people to contribute to research output. So they go to educational institutions. When the challenges are not huge and the time frame for development is long, then there is a problem, meaning there is no pressure to grow. Thus, only when there are challenges will educational institutions and R&D labs work more in tandem. This should come from the government.
The government should pose the challenges and be ready to fund in that area. It should present a target. Most major innovations come from students. Without students, there won’t be great science. And without good teachers, there won’t be good students. That’s clear.

How should the government incentivise research so that the science and technology pool from universities does not look for greener pastures away from science?

Scientists need dignity and respect. Many leave science not because they run after money, but because of the environment. Sometimes the facilities are lacking, and sometimes scientists feel cheated, i.e, when the work is truly theirs but the credit goes to someone else. Good science managers should encourage, not restrict. Scientists should not be cheated, but be respected and encouraged, and given due credit. Science managers should understand this. They should be like parents who take pride in their children when they do something great.

Should private and public companies be given a tax break to make them spend more on R&D? How can the private sector be roped in to finance research in pure science? Apart from pharmaceutical companies, few see any profit in getting into research.

Policies are helpful, but spending should come from within. Many companies have not realised the importance of R&D, especially those in the manufacturing sector. The Tatas realised the importance of this early and are doing well. Not many Indian industries saw the point; hence, it is the foreign companies that are investing in R&D here. India is a developing country and we cannot depend on technologies from outside. We need to develop our own technology. Companies should understand this and should themselves invest in R&D without waiting for the government to help.

In the last five decades, advances in science and technology have come mainly in “government science” — the nuclear area, defence science, agriculture. How can this space be expanded?

The government funded those areas. They were big challenges before the country. The government should now identify other major challenge areas and fund them. We should note that in spite of “government science”, many technologies did not reach the public domain, and society is yet to benefit from them. Efforts should be made in that direction.

As someone who now heads a renowned group of educational institutions whose history goes back a century, how do you think experts like you can contribute to the advance of science education?

For the past six months, I have been with the PSG institutions in Coimbatore. It is not difficult to be a good scientist. I come from a poor economic background. But I had the desire to do well and interacted with people and learnt the fundamentals of science well. Appropriate teachers in educational institutions should be identified and sent to research institutions so that they may become experts and teach their students. Teachers in educational institutions should teach through their own example, rather than just telling students what to do.

What do you think can be done to motivate students to get involved in research?

They should be exposed to good teachers, good scientists and successful people. Students need to interact and spend time with them so that they develop a scientific
mentality.

Do you think recruitment by IT companies from well known educational institutions, especially engineering colleges, curtailed the number of students aspiring to do research?

To a certain extent. But I feel parents have played the greater role. As scientists, we convince the students, but not the parents. Parents feel their children will be happy if there is more money, and pressurise them into opting for such jobs.