The Hindu Business Line : `Higher allocations in education, science must'

EXPRESSING concern over decline in quality and quantity in science research, Prof C.N.R. Rao, scientist and former director of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, has called for increased allocations for education and science not only to compete with China but also to become the best in the field of science and technology.

Addressing a gathering at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) under `Distinguished Lecture Programme', Prof. Rao said China had come up very fast in science research in the post-cultural revolution era. "They spend five per cent of gross domestic product for science and eight per cent on education, while we allot just three per cent on education," he said.

"They (Chinese) have got unbelievable determination," he added.

"We have to invest in a big way in schools and colleges. Higher education alone needs a spend of 2-2.5 per cent," he said.

Mocking at the huge increase in number of engineering colleges in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, he said the colleges lacked proper infrastructure.

"Our institutions are collapsing. When are we going to have the likes of Cambridges, not just by reputation, but by creating facilities," he wondered.

India, which started off with the thrust on self-reliance and self-sufficiency in the early sixties, "still chanting the same mantra" while other countries went ahead, leaving a huge gap. Besides the problem of money, a peculiar apathy dogged the country. "People want their children to become rich. The youth are worried about their salaries. They want to become millionaires even before they turn 25," he said.

Criticising the increasing thrust in society on information technology, Prof. Rao said that the country could not have skewed growth. "We should have poets. We should have musicians, engineers, scientists and all others," he said, adding that the country fell short of talent on many fronts.

He felt that there should be attitudinal change and emotional involvement to improve things.

The former Scientific Adviser to Prime Minister, who won a host of scientific and civilian awards, felt that the bureaucracy, too, needed liberalisation. "There is globalisation and liberalisation in business and economy. But there is none in administration. In fact, it has become much more difficult," he Rao said.

The scientific community was partly responsible for the state of affairs. "We are not working hard," he said, citing the dwindling number of scientific papers emanating from IITs and, even from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

He also found fault with scientific institutions for inviting politicians to scientific gatherings.

To encourage the young scientific community, he wanted a big hike in the salary structure. "The entry level salary for Scientist C should be Rs 40,000" to make it inspiring for them.

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