Context: Recently, UNESCO Science Report has observed that although India has made ‘solid progress’ towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets concerning industry, infrastructure and innovation but the country’s investment in research remains unsatisfactory.

UNESCO Science Report

• The UNESCO Science Report (USR) is a flagship publication of UNESCO.
• It is published once every five years, and is a report on science, technology and innovation (STI).
• Titled: The race against time for smarter development.

India specific Highlights

• The gross domestic expenditure on research (GERD) has been stagnant at 0.7% of the GDP for years, but in absolute terms, research expenditure has increased.

There is an increase in the private sector’s contribution to R&D.

• The challenge lies in ensuring that increase in expenditure in R&D becomes systematic.

Indian researchers are publishing more on themes related to Sustainable Development Goals.

• They are doing much better than the global averages, particularly in battery efficiency and pollution.
• The number of researchers has increased from 157 million in 2011 to 216 million in 2015.

The job opportunities for science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) graduates have not increased.

• Employability of STEM graduates has increased from 34% in 2014 to about 49% in 2019.

On policies on harnessing emerging technologies, India still hasn’t adopted industry 4.0 technologies.

• Only a few Indian states have made significant progress in meeting their renewable energy targets.

The level of domestic investment in R&D is inadequate and research intensity has not increased.

• The level of patenting by Indian institutions and businesses is low.
• Non-availability of well-trained scientists and engineers is a constraint in percolation of technologies.

Key Suggestion

• The UNESCO Science Report underscores the need for ‘policy bridges’ for fostering a more effective interaction between foreign and local research firms.
• Given the large number of multinational corporations now engaged in R&D, it is imperative that the host economy benefits from this activity the report said.
• It also called for improved linkages between the start-up ecosystem and manufacturers to push technological development in sectors where India enjoys a global presence.

By: Shubham Tiwari