What has changed ? From Science Policy Resolution to Decade of Innovation ?

Approaching 12^th Plan for S&T Sector in the context of Innovation Decade 2010-2020

The growing relative importance of the knowledge as a variable of production factor compared to capital, labor and physical resources has been recognized globally. At the same time it should be understood that knowledge is being created, diffused and absorbed linking global and local actors. This is giving birth to new Glocalisation Policies as far as investment in S&T/R&D/Innovation is concerned. R&D activities are increasingly mobile and globally connected. While the significance allocated to the accessibility of codified knowledge through ICT enabled network to improve the efficiency of the research being done is crucial building block of the S&T policy framework at the same time the importance of the institutions which can tap the tacit knowledge from the experts working in those fields gives additional value and leverage to this policy planning institutions to think in new directions compared to stagnated silos.

Policy should give primacy to the non-linear systemic view to look towards progress/innovation rather than judging the changing world through the prism of linear perspectives. So, creating a mesh or embedding a layer of lateral thinking in the communication within the stakeholders of policy planners should be the priority. More time should be given to learn from the studies done around capability to exploit new combinations or of pieces of knowledge is essential. Special attention should be given towards the fact that innovation rests on learning and creativity. Also, it should be realized that innovation happens through interaction amongst firms and other agents.

The knowledge used for innovation may be firm specific among which large part us private proprietary knowledge and tacit. Sectoral or technology specific knowledge may be public, codified and tacit. And generic science based knowledge may be public, open access and codified.  In today’s world where distributed knowledge base, the implications it may have for the planning of S&T policies have to be visualized for our better understanding. The kind of diversity of organizations involved in the chain of knowledge creation, diffusion and absorption; resources needed for diffusion considering the limitations imposed by IPRs; importance of local and global access capabilities, flexibilities provided by policies for experimentation, creativity and entrepreneurship and room for innovation without the traditional inputs being given too much emphasis; these are some of the factors which should be accounted for adjusting to the dynamic scenarios of S&T policy making.

The system perspective offers the holistic perspective where whole is greater than sum of its parts, where interrelationships and interactions are more important and includes norms, habits and culture of organizations and institutions. Here most important resource is knowledge and most important process is learning. Understanding the diversity of the performance of the organizations involved needs to be taken into consideration in the context of a) Enhancing the capacities to access and use distributed knowledge base, b) Quality of infrastructure supporting knowledge flows, c) Institutional strategies and link bases. In this perspective moving towards learning organization would be the right step. This step implies: a) Internal changes promoting flat hierarchies, devolution of responsibilities, multi-functional teams, new cross linking competencies, emphasis on quality management and human resource development. So shifts are expected from ‘raising resources’ to ‘promoting change’, from ‘best practices’ towards ‘context specific’ solutions, from ‘standard’ policy making towards ‘policy learning process’.  

The changing framework of innovation makes it compulsory to understand that innovation significantly differs from R&D. R&D indicators leave out many unmeasured sources of innovative activity. This is crucial in the context of the increasing awareness of the role of innovation as a non-negotiable ingredient for economic development. In this changing scenario along with the understanding of the systemic actors, emphasis on learning, diffusion and absorption of knowledge is very crucial. So, mobility of tacit knowledge becomes key performance factor.

Traditional policy was viewed in the framework of innovation being only in the terms of R&D; focus on research and technology development, technology transfer mechanisms and institutions created for that purpose, institutions for knowledge creation and diffusion. The shift in learning gained from the traditional approaches has given new insights into the new directions in which the attention needs to be focused. Now innovation must be understood in terms of economic exploitation of new combinations by including broad set of activities including design, organizational, behavioral etc. More attention is necessary to be given for how process of absorption of knowledge is taking place and how to strengthen the absorptive capacity.

S&T/Innovation Policy seems to be dominated by linear tools addressing inputs in the innovation process rather than functioning of the system involved. This system involves actors like R&D institutions, higher education institutions, universities, industry, MSMEs, government think tanks, corporate initiatives, policy bodies, market driven strategies etc. The problem became more serious when individual isolated actors were supported rather than identifying networks of the actors. Therefore policy instruments necessary and addressed to changes in behavior for innovation dealing with strategic, informational, organizational requirements or real time need. So, there is lack of strategic approach in the system.

So challenge for R&D/Innovation policy is to organize complementarities and synergies between policy areas by designing effective policy mixes. Defining this policy mix remains the pivotal task before approaching any strategic plan of S&T/Innovation scene ahead. There should be proper combination of policy instruments which interact to influence the quantity and quality of R&D investments in public and private sectors. The instruments are categorized by all programmes, organizations, rules and regulations with an active involvement of the public sector, which intentionally or unintentionally affect R&D investment.Interactions are carved out by influence of one policy instrument continuously being modified by co-existence of other policy instruments in policy mix. Influences on R&D investments are either direct originating from R&D policy field or may be indirect coming out of all policy instruments from any other policy field.

Here few relevant issues must be probed and explored about how this policy mix should be designed.

a) Challenges for National Innovation System/Sectoral Innovation 

    System/Regional Innovation System

b) Policy objectives

c) Gaps between challenges and objectives

d) Instruments (both R&D and Non-R&D)

e) Gaps between objectives and instruments

f) History of the policy in that perspective

g) Identification and location of the actors involved

h) Balances within the policy portfolio

i) Modes and ways of interactions

j) Governance framework

Considering all these factors the emphasis should be on building on the clusters of the competence. These clusters will be responsible for dialogue creation, multilateral exchanges, establishing a capable nodal point, creating mechanism which will be responsible for multiple supports, consistent process of evolution of learning support etc and reduce the repetition of the experiments and inculcate the sense of sharing of experiences in order to achieve maximum possibility of arriving at a plan which can be workable and enabling all to contribute in that.

So, policy mix design has to be derived from acknowledging the stakeholders pressure, considering the international/successful/contextual benchmarking, learning from previous policy implementation, method of policy evaluation and thus moving towards defining, articulating the policy strategies. There are always present the competing rationalities across policy fields and different schools of thoughts, short termism in resource allocations, new public management and coherence in all the initiatives and finally individual ambitions verses grand vision.

Thus the success of new policies and initiatives depend on ability of the new institutions in creating new knowledge, the ability of prospective framework of institutions in diffusion of knowledge and the topology of the elements of the network enabling them for better absorption. The directives under policy need to have “open borders” between traditional fields of policy intervention, various forms of knowledge production and diffusion and the evolution of industry experience in dealing with the new and old problems. So, defining new strategic policy intelligence where monitoring and evaluation of the approach of the policy and responses coming from the stakeholders from time to time, need of sound analysis of the structural and informal issues in congruence and keeping in mind the long term vision and also being committed to inclusive policy design processes.

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"Empires of Future will be Empires of Mind"

Before we take a careful look at the subtle shifts in Indian Science Policy framework in last fifty years let us go five decades back and recall one of the very very significant clauses of Science Policy Resolution 1958, Para 3:
It is only through the scientific approach and method and the use of scientific knowledge that reasonable material and culturtal amenities and services can be provided for every member of the community, and it is out if a recognition of this possibility that the idea of a welfare state has grown.
It is charateristic of present world that the progress towards the practical realisation of a welfare state difefrs widely from country in diret relation to the extent of industrialisation and the effort and resources applied in the pursuit of science.


Then Technology Policy Statement, 1983 recognised that key to successfully develop indigenous capability in technology demands a conscious integrated approach covering technology assessment, development,, acquisition, absorption, utilization and diffusion and connected aspects of financing, based on overall national interests, priorities and the attainment of the most challenging technological goals.


Further, in recent years Science and Technology Policy, 2003 this shift becomes more visible... To ensure that message of science reaches every citizen of India, man and woman, young and old, so that we advance scientific temper, emerge as a progressive and enlightened society, and make it possible for all our people to participate fully in the development of science and technology and its application for human welfare. Indeed science and technology will be fully integrated with all spheres of national activity.

Going ahead adding the emphasis in another clause S& T Policy says;
There is growing need to enhance public awareness of the importance of science and technology in everyday life, and the directions where science and technology is taking us. People must be able to consider the implications of emerging science and technology options in areas which impinge directly upon their lives, including the ethical and moral, legal, social and economic aspects. In recent years, advances in biotechnology and information technology have dramatically increased public interest in technology options in wide ranging areas. Scientific work and policies arising from these have to be highly transparent and widely understood.
Support for wide dissemination of scientific knowledge, through the support of science museums, planetaria, botanical gardens and the like, will be enhanced. Every effort will be made to convey to the young the excitement in scientific and technological advances and to instill scientific temper in the population at large. Special support will be provided for programmes that seek to popularize and promote science and technology in all parts of the country. Programmes will also be developed o promote learning and dissemination of science through the various national languages, to enable effective science communication at all levels. A closer interaction of those involved in the natural sciences and technology, social sciences, humanities and other scholarly pursuits will be facilitated to bring about mutual reinforcement, added value and impact.


I consider above listed three beliefs and policy objectives have consistent flow in itslef. In 1958 we recognised power of scientific approach and believed that it is capable to make us realise the idea of welfare state. Again in 1983 we underlined the might of technology competence and self reliance in technological capabilities which can reduce vulnerability, perticularly in strategic and critical areas. The year 2003 marks the necessity of public understanding of science and value of participation in the stream of scientific and technological progress of the country. In this context I share with you about the workshop "CREATION AND DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE" sponsored by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology during New Delhi 27-29 July 09.


Inugerating the workshop Dr. Jyoti Bhat who is technical adviser in DSIR tried to ignite the minds about the need of communication. She said, "People always feel need of new knowledge. This new knowledge always leads to development of new capabilties by inspring the younger generation to move towards careers in science and technology. This emotional transition which is marked by urge to have new, sophisticated, state of the art knowledge is hallmark of this emerging society. When people crave for accurate, relevant and structural knowledge it shapes Human Capital Transformation in a sense it directs the efforts of communicator in developing Intellectual assests for organisations. This knowledge creation and transfer happens in three stages:
a) From scarce capabilties to knowledge transfer
b) Knowledge adaptation and dissemination
c) Cross border knowledge creation and transfer
Here she laid emphasises on need of collaboration being the urgent strategy of the organisations, departments, industries and a nation as a whole. She stressed that for effective knowledge utilisation, strengthening economic and institutional regime, developing educated and skilled workers, creating efficient innovation system and building dynamic information infrastructure are the strict imperatives.

To move in this direction bearing strategic perspective one needs to visualise the urgent and pressing need of : enhancement of knowledge base, awareness building about science-technology issues, building of more Technology Management Resource Centres, Curriculum Development about Innovation, recognising the role of teachers in inspiring new generation towards science and technology, more imaginative and modern media for information dissemination. setting up of the academic chairs promoting research environment !!!


Prof. Ashok Chandra who is Director of Centre for Managing of Innovation and Technology, IMI shared his experiences of formulating the National Education Policy, 1986. He said, "We must treat process of policy formulation as utmost importan rather than result of policy formulation. The identification of the numerous stakeholders and timely participation of the all people will certainly give birth to mature consultation and the draft coming out of the deliberations will be of immense acceptance value and reach due to prior interaction. He advocated that we should use the process of policy formulation for effective communication and thus to educate about ingredients of the technical issues involved in the subject of debate. Any policy is reflection of agenda of diverse interest groups involved in that process. Thus differing viewpoints must be reconciled and thus harmonisation in Policy Objectives can be achieved. All social, cultural and economic spheres in that specific context must be considered for that matter. Thus likewise policy always respond to the external changes and the revised and reviewed policy must have some tangible committment in terms of deadline and quantitative targets in terms of performance-productivity index.


Dr. Vinay Kumar, former Adviser to MoST stressed upon "Freedom of Expression" in the organisation leading to innovation. He emphasised on Management support to new ideas, motivation-award policy, toleration of failure, positive outlook and exposing employees to new experiences and directions.


Dr. Naresh Kumar, Head, R&D Planning Division, CSIR described in detail about the emerging platform of Open Source Drug Discovery(OSDD- OSDD is a CSIR-led Team India consortium with a global partnership. It's vision is to provide affordable healthcare to the developing world by providing a global platform where the best minds can collaborate & collectively endeavor to solve the complex problems associated with discovering novel therapies for neglected tropical diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, etc. It is a concept to collaboratively aggregate the biological and genetic information available to scientists in order to use it to hasten the discovery of drugs. This will provide a unique opportunity for scientists, doctors, technocrats, students and others with diverse expertise to work for a common cause.) His focus was "Information in Open Source Domain: A Tool for Knowledge Creation and Dissemination for new drug of TB". He emhaised again and again that the wisdom does not lie only in the four walls of the organisation, it is always scattered outside. Our challenge is to get , organise and disseminate that information for betterment of the initiative for which organisation is striving.

He said that present IT infrastructure, connectivity and high throughput analysis capability makes OSDD possible. Going ahead he threw light on the shifting paradigms of Computational Biology. In traditional biology where things were shaped by classical, basic experimentation in low throughput where animal studies were having prominence in this new OSDD knowledge sharing model, research in Combinaitonal Chemistry, Genomics, Proteonomics, Metabolomics, Biotechnology is enhanced by high throughput analysis and molecular imaging. To support this massive initiative to discover new drud for T.B. due to which one person per minute is being killed in India and there has been no credible drug discovered uptill now after 1966 marks the strategic significance. While explaining this "Open Model of Knowledge Access", he laid immense stress on OPEN SYNTHESIS while organising knowledge addressing TARGET MOLECULE which in turn will pass through SCREENING to finally move towards DRUG DEVELOPMENT before we allow PRE-CLINICAL AND CLINICAL TRIALS by Contract Research Organisations.


P. Banerjee, Director, NISTADS spoke about Organising Scholarly Community while realisng the responsibilities of proffessional occupation like to create knowledge, to develope the skills and to nurture the attitudes of proffessionals. He said that dynamism of organisation depends not on devising new produciton function but to devise new channels by which continous learning and regeneration of ideas is possible. In a hierarchic organisaion it is always possible that bundling and unbundling of the information may be done by the seniors or established people while if given chance juniors may come out with wondeful ideas. While it should be remembered that traditional approaches of creativity based on the diktat and authority are collapsing the proffessional standards and disciplinary boundaries are new masters of the innovation.


He further said that proffessional spirit is weakest in India compared to best practises in the world. He cited his study about mindset of Indian Research Laboratories in forging active collaboration for research inside city, outside city and across the national borders. He consistently pointed out with proven facts that Indian Researchers are not even willing to share information (let alone knowledge ?) across the walls in the same research organisaitons as Science Citation Index and other Indexes indicate toward reluctance of Indian researchers in citing fellow scientists compared to enthusiasm of Chinese in doing so about their fellow Chinese scholars. This in comparison with China, he said, is also sadly true about degree of investment per scientific Human Resource, number of conferences being held, ability to spend the allocated money, number of scientific instruments being purchased, number of guest faculties being invited to Indian Universities and Research Institutes, growth of proffessional bodies in the country and most importantly REALISING THE COLLABORATION POSSIBILTIES.
Eventually to highlight the features of robust research system which India needs to develop, he stressed upon a) Improvement of research performance, b) Improvement of research quality and c) Improvement of Innovation Performance.


To leave all of you lingering in spiral of thoughts:
It was 50 years ago this May that Snow, an English physicist, civil servant and novelist, delivered a lecture at Cambridge called “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution,” which was later published in book form. Snow’s famous lament was that “the intellectual life of the whole of Western society is increasingly being split into two polar groups,” consisting of scientists on the one hand and literary scholars on the other. So why did Snow think the supposed gulf between the two cultures was such a problem? Because, he argues in the latter half of his essay, it leads many capable minds to ignore science as a vocation, which prevents us from solving the world’s “main issue,” the wealth gap caused by industrialization, which threatens global stability. "

Ultimately one can`t help but recall the verbatim of Winston Churchil that "Empires of the future will be certainly empires of the mind...!!!"


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# Questioning old beliefs and realising that nothing is absolute and certain in life compells us to communicate perspectives we have reposited on the mind being nourished everyday by infinite data, innumerous information, questionable knowledge and doubtful wisdom.

# Ability to cope up with the uncertainty and lateral thinking is another powerful tool which is symbol of efficient thinking ability of the persons to take first decisive steps to convey their point of view about the state of affiars he/she is interested in.

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