Scientific Research refers to the systematic investigation with the help of the principles or methods used in science. Scientific Research aims at establishing facts and the research provides scientific information and theories for the explanation of nature and the properties of the world around us. It produces applications which are practically possible. Scientific research relies on funds. These may be funded by public authorities, charitable organisations or by private groups which may include many companies. Scientific research can be subdivided into different classifications according to their academic and application disciplines. The history of Scientific Endeavour can be traced back to Scientific Policy Research Resolution which was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1958. It was aimed at promoting scientific research in pure, applied and educational fields. Then in 1983 another legislation, the Technology Policy Statement was enforced to promote the indigenous technology. It's objective was to ensure the adaptation of international technological breakthroughs in accordance with the availability of resources and national priorities. With such support, Scientific Research in India has contributed tremendously towards every aspect of human life. These include medicine, agriculture, industry, space research, defence, transport, poultry farming, fisheries, animal husbandry and nuclear energy. The Government of India has set up organizations to promote research and development in these fields as well.
Main Pillars of Scientific Research In India
- CSIR: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is involved in promoting industrial development of the country.
- ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research is involved in promoting research in medicine.
- ICAR: Indian Council of Agriculture Research is involved in the promotion of agriculture respectively.
- ISRO: Indian Space Research Organization is responsible for Space-related projects.
- DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organization looks after related projects.
Apart from the above mentioned, The departments of Electronics, Atomic Energy, Ocean Development, the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Environment and Forests also have their own research and development laboratories.
Development in Scientific Research
- Agriculture: One of the major factors that aided Scientific Research in India is attributed to the success of the Green Revolution in 1967-68. The quality seed program enabled the country to make a small beginning with a few thousand quintals of improved seeds. Agricultural yield increased with various soil and water conservation methods. The boost in the production of Horticulture crops including fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, flowers, medicinal plants, aromatic plants, mushrooms, plantation crops, spices etc. is another example of the success of the Horticultural research. This further made India achieve the leader in fruit and vegetable production. Floriculture is another field which also mushroomed with orchids, tuberose and hybrid flowers being cultivated for exports. Tissue culture and genetic engineering made its way into a large number of agricultural universities and research institutes. Using these techniques plants like tomato, mustard, grapes, chrysanthemum and trees like sesame were developed.
- Animal Husbandry: Animal husbandry and dairy development also benefited from various scientific researches. The rural sector benefited the most as it substantially supplemented their income. Various indigenous breeds of cattle were developed which are immune to animal diseases and are sturdy. Scientific research reached out to the lower income strata which included the landless, small and marginal farmers. The development of Embryo Transfer Technology provided selective breeding techniques. Animal, bird and fish products gained nutritional quality with the research in biotechnology. Cloning is another area of expertise in which several identical calves can be produced from a single embryo, thereby proving India's research proficiency comparable to International standards.
- Medical: Disease control is a major achievement which India has been able to bring about, owing to development in the field of medical research. The disease like polio, leprosy have been controlled. Smallpox has been completely eradicated in the country. Various projects undertaken in the area of Viral Hepatitis C and B, cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, polio and tuberculosis has helped in improving the health of the Indian people. Methods like mammography and tomography have enabled doctors to detect cancer at an early stage. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) is another major achievement. It is an Indigenous AIDS diagnostic system which has been developed to detect the HIV virus in patients. Indian scientists at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) developed the genetically engineered clone of the hepatitis E virus, for the first time in the world. It is a possible solution for combating this virus.
- Space: The Department of Space has been making significant t progress by successfully launching and completing various space programs. On May 26, 1999, the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-P4) was launched successfully by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). 'Ocean Sat -1' (named so as it is dedicated to ocean studies). India also launched its First Developmental Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D1) on April 18, 2001. Then, in September 2002 India's launched it's first full-fledged meteorological satellite METSAT. On 17th October 2003. India's heaviest and most sophisticated remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-1 was launched in space using the indigenously built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C5 which showcased India's prowess in this field. Remote sensing enables us to predict the yield of major crops like wheat, rice, cotton, mulberry etc. at the national level. It also forecasts weather, floods, cyclones and droughts which is a vital information for various protective and relief measures beforehand. Telecommunications has also progressed with cellular phones, radio paging, voice mail, fax, e-mail, etc. heralding a revolution in this area.
- Natural Resources: The Oil and Natural Gas Commission which is involved in the exploration of oil and natural gas, production and sale is an important component for the fuel for industry. Its activities include offshore exploration, production, refining and marketing. In 1965, the Engineers India Ltd. (EEL), was set up to provide engineering expertise and technical services to petroleum refineries, oil and gas pipelines, petrochemical industries and other industrial projects. The Department of Ocean Development created in 1981 is responsible for promoting ocean development in the country. It's the main achievement is the collecting of metallic modules from the ocean bed, which is a rarity even in the advanced countries. The Antarctic Exploration and Polar Science program initiated in 1981 led to the establishment of a modern and indigenously built station - Maitre, at Antarctica in 1989. The station is linked with India through the electronic mail network making it possible to transmit online data to various laboratories in the country.
- Other Areas: Atomic sector received a push with Research organizations like the BARC and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) being set up to work on nuclear power generation. India has been using its own reserves of uranium and thorium to harness atomic energy. Production of radio-isotopes for use in medicine, agriculture and industry has been carried out with success. India has perfected a state-of-the-art combined process technology for the commercial production of titanium which was once the monopoly of the countries like Japan, USA, China and UK. The CSIR provided the technical expertise needed for the up-gradation of existing technologies and evolving new indigenous technologies to meet the needs of the industry. Technology transfers in areas like drugs, agrochemicals, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining etc. have been carried out by the CSIR. The scientific research by the CSIR covers a wide area from electronics to rural housing.
Status of Scientific Research in India
According to Science Watch, which uses unique citation data to provide rankings and reports on today’s most significant science, Indian researchers accounted for 12,500 research papers in 1985. Between 1985 and 2000, this number barely exceeded 14,000 annually. Then, in 2000, India began to see a significant rise in its scientific output, by 2007 reaching more than 27,000 papers indexed by Thomson Reuters. Along with an increase in output, the influence of India’s researchers in the sciences also has risen. While India's impact (average number of citations per paper) has not yet reached the world average within most scientific fields, this survey finds that India has made the most notable gains in Physics, with an average of 3.13 cites per paper for the period 2003 to 2007 — 80% of the field average. India’s presence is increasing in international science. In assessing India’s research output, Science Watch identified 250 Research Fronts for which India-based institutions' papers are among the core literature, the majority of which are in the Physical Sciences field. Research Fronts are speciality areas of research defined by a core of foundational papers that have been cited together.
How to Improve the Level of Scientific Research in India?
- The improvement of Scientific Research in India is linked with the Common Public. The Public forms the grassroots of India's population. Research in those areas is needed which is India-specific, affordable and reachable to those sections which need them the most. It is possible through an effective interaction with the Public.
- Effective Reforms are needed to remove the shortcomings of the Educational system which is more practical based than theoretical.
- Sophisticated education is needed to made available to develop a scientific temper.
- Financial Incentives need to be given to deserving which itself should be self-replenishing.
- Special assistance is needed to be given to those people those who have developed new skills and knowledge in developing new technologies and products. Assistance in patenting an idea or a product is needed. Patenting provides a legal protection for whatever has been developed
- Budding researchers also need guidance and incentives to produce amazing results.
- We do not need to reinvent when there's a whole lot to invent. Research & Development institutions need to be leaders and not followers. They also need to expand the horizon of their confined academic interests. Countries like Finland, Taiwan, Korea etc.need to be studied in this aspect.
- India's achievements in space technology and research show that Indian scientists and engineers are as good as those in the advanced countries. Various world level achievements give us an insight into the extent of scientific research undertaken in India. The researches carried out in various departments have made a great impact on different areas. Scientific research in India has come a long way since the Indus-Valley civilization back in 2500 B.C. and it has been for the betterment of humankind in India.
