Page 20 - EW-June-2024

Education News

DELHI for research and development
Research boost initiative (R&D)aggregates a mere 1 percent

of GDP cf.3.5 percent in the US,
4.8 percent in South Korea and
4-5 percent in OECD countries.
Moreover, 66 percent of the annual
national research outlay is expended
by government in bureaucratic
establishments such as the Soviet-
inspired Council for Scientific &
Industrial Research (CSIR) which
82 years after it was established, has
precious little to show for its efforts.
India Inc’s R&D record is worse.
It barely expends 0.50 percent of
GDP on research and innovation
and has earned an imitative, me-too
reputation for reverse engineering
and disrespect for patents and
intellectual property worldwide (see
edit p.16).
In the circumstances, the relax-
College graduates: research drive initiative. Inset: M. Jagadesh Kumar ation of norms for young graduates
to qualify for research grants and
he delhi-based university getting into research at a very young junior professorships is welcomed
Grants Commission (UGC) age, and they are really creative,” by some academics who believe that
Thas greenlighted direct entry says Kumar. the abolition last year of the M.Phil
of graduates with four-year Bach- However, admission of FYUP program — a bridge course between
elor (Hons) degrees into Ph D pro- grads into Ph D programmes comes the Masters degree and Ph D — and
grammes. On March 13, UGC gave with several riders. First, direct now the Masters degree, are steps in
formal approval to the UGC (Mini- admission into Ph D programmes of the right direction.
mum Standards and Procedure for universities is open only to students “Direct entry into Ph D pro-
Award of Ph D Degree) Regulations, who complete the four-year honours grammes is good for students with
2022, enabling graduates of four- undergrad bachelors degree pro- academic interests. But colleges need
year undergrad programmes (FYUP) grammes of undergrad colleges (NEP to prepare students for research and
introduced by the National Educa- 2020 permits earlier exits with certi- teaching by making the four-year
tion Policy (NEP) 2020, to sign up fication). Moreover, aspirants should undergrad programme more robust
for doctorate programmes. In effect, average a minimum 75 percent or so that they develop the aptitude for
the commission has eliminated the equivalent grading in the four-year research. Simultaneously, there is a
necessity of FYUP undergrads com- honours programme. Subsequently, pressing need to encourage research
pleting the Masters programme prior candidates are obliged to clear the in universities rather than limit it to
to signing up for research-intensive UGC-NET exam conducted by NTA government organisations such as
Ph D programmes. (National Testing Agency) biannually CSIR, DST, IISER and other govern-
The objective of this relaxation (June and December) to be awarded ment institutes. Research grants
is to “open up” opportunities for Junior Research Fellowships and/ from industry, if not government,
students to begin engaging with re- or become eligible for the position need to flow into universities to
search and innovation at “very young of assistant professor in licensed translate into commercial products
age,” UGC chairman M. Jagadesh universities. and services,” says Prof. Sudhir
Kumar told news agency ANI (April Evidently, this initiative to prompt Sopory, plant physiologist, scientist
22) to attain a major mandate of young graduates into research is and former vice chancellor of JNU,
NEP 2020 which is to strengthen the driven by the common complaint Delhi.
research ecosystem in Indian aca- that research and innovation is “With the shorter path to a Ph D,
demia. “When we permit undergrad- accorded inadequate importance the number of Ph D candidates will
uate students into Ph D programs, by academia, government and increase. While this democratisation
you will have a lot of young people industry. Countrywide, the allocation of access may enhance the research

20 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2024