What's not working for the Indian research ecosystem?
What's not working for the Indian research ecosystem?
Introduction
India is a huge pool of talents but ironically, despite being a representative of 1/7th of the world population, it does not stand even in the world's top 10 of the global innovation index!!
Although, we Indians are very prone to innovate things in our day-to-day life to ease our daily work which is generally abbreviated as "Jugaad".
Our IITs, NITs, IISERs, IISc etc. all tend to be actively involved in the research work. Still, the situation is such that we need to import bulletproof vests and arms, fighter jets, machinery, technology etc. from other countries and this leads us to have a huge expenditure of money on these affairs which comes from the taxes we pay.
Despite all visible efforts, what's not working?
Here are some observations that represent my personal as well as others' experiences. If timely, and acted upon, it could lead the national growth, exports & repute to new heights by improving the national research output.
Colonial Mindset:
- Unfortunately, the way the universities work often seems still affected by the colonial mindset where the guide treats the researcher as an educated worker who just has to follow his orders and perform laboratory reactions on his behalf, but can't use his creativity beyond what's there in the literature.
- Where he/she is not valued for what he/she is what he /she can do and what his/her aspirations and visions are but others' visions are imposed. (not always but still in many cases it happens)
- Where he/she has to act as a freely hired assistant of the prof. who has only to offer not much or limited privilege to defend/receive/deny/contest/question etc. in many cases.
- The guide has virtually no one to question: For the researchers, there are all the restrictions but there is no committee that can review how well the guide is guiding the student, nor the student has any voice where he can ask for what he needs to grow. there have been many cases of personal grudges coming into play while evaluating a PhD or M.tech or B.tech student during his or her projects & there is no one to hear the student.
- Irrelevant responsibilities: The researchers are supposed to follow the orders whatever it is either planning the trip of the professor or reimbursement of his bills I mean what's this? And in the end, they ask for publications. This is intellectual exploitation.
Quantitative evaluation system (not value/quality based): We focus more on the publications than the research itself. One of the major things lacking in the root is empathy & the quest to solve problems or explore the unexplored.
Morals & the hindrance: A part of it goes to our morals & values & motivation where our instinct asks us to be more proactive whatever it takes. sometimes typical professors or the administration Come into play who has the inertia of doing practicals in a theoretical way. Precisely, you can't skip theory or the hierarchy (following orders) even if you feel like doing something out of the box.
Next comes the honesty of the project guide which is rarely up to the mark. God knows how much funds they actually use in the project out of what's given to them.
Innovation & practicality:
For the faculty:
next comes the greed of getting promotions through publications. Here, the administration has to change the criteria from a high weightage to a research paper than its impact on society and novelty. In a nutshell patents and innovation part.
For the students/researchers:
- Éducation systèm also needs to ensure that instead of what is what we are taught why and for what. Precisely thé application as well as the practical part.
- Also, judging students on the ground of an overall performance kills their morale. Instead, they need to be recognised for what they are good at.
- Thé courses must contain practicality, projects, prototyping, modelling and simulations etc. As the criteria of the level of understanding, not the memory.
Infrastructure:
Here comes the government. We don't get much equipment for advanced research and if we demand, the procurement isn't easy or Quick.
Research environment:
A happy & healthy mind becomes the basis for creativity which forms the core of any research activity.
But unfortunately, the mental comfort of a researcher is the last thing one ever thinks about in our institutions.
Many are sad & depressed & feel discouraged enough to anyhow complete the project or degrees. No one cares about them. A part of it comes from the late-night working in labs in quest of publications + inadequate financial aid from the fellowship that doesn't give enough stability to focus on the research rather one has to keep looking for jobs or another way and struggle for it. This is further enhanced by the constant pressure and humiliations received from the faculty and sometimes (seniors/peers) as well as the lack of visibility on the career ahead.
Personal aspirations:
- We see only the scores but not the willingness, long-term goals & motivation of the researcher which needs to be screened before the entry as well as during the research work and the guide and college has to play a part to help him or her grow in their career rather than just using them as an Ox to plough their farms of publications.
- The government and the institutions must ensure at least one job either in govt. or private sector for all PhD / SRF etc. to get them free of the lack of visibility for the future ahead. I wonder why PSU's & govt. entities are not eager to recruit directly from campuses. I believe at least some % of their seats must be reserved to recruit those who are good at research in any field of science/management/humanities respectively based on the needs of the firm.
- The proper guidance, good infrastructure, sufficient recognition and appreciation as well as good fellowship amount will be the real boosters for ones willing to work more efficiently. We have many researchers preferring foreign universities in the pursuit of these things.
Media & Social recognitions:
Not only this, our social media and the governments seem much more to glorify and praise Bollywood, sportspersons, models, & TikTok stars than any researcher. Even after breakthrough research, one can't get enough recognition & rewards from the govt or the media. This makes the entertainers a héro, & the real heroes are left limited to be seen as studious and less charming and the least interesting beings for the society.
Consequently, we can see every other kid from a very early age dreaming to become an entertainer than a researcher to avail that limelight, pomp & show. Had the researchers got enough notice & limelight from the govt? & media, there could have been enough pride & encouragement to become good in the research leading to a huge pool of talents coming for PhD etc. Unfortunately, I feel we have fewer awards in the field of science in our country than in sports.
Conclusion:
As a whole, this ecosystem is such that, you can't be very proud of being a researcher nor you can freely use your research skills. There needs to be a check on the guide, care for mental health, enough rewards attractive incentives and further career opportunities as well as recognitions to boost the number of researchers and the quality.
Very true
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