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POLICIES RELATED TO
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
India has a long and distinguished tradition in science and technology from the ancient times. The great
achievements during the last century, the latter half prior to independence, have been related largely to pure
research. At the time of independence, our scientific and technological infrastructure was neither strong nor
organized as compared to the developed world. This had resulted in our being technologically dependent on
the skills and expertise available in other countries. There is now a reservoir of expertise well acquainted with
the most modern advances in basic and applied areas that is equipped to make choices between available
technologies, to absorb readily new technologies and provide a framework for future national development.
Department of Science & Technology (DST) was established in May 1971, with the objective of promoting
new areas of Science & Technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organising, coordinating

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and promoting S&T activities in the country. The Department has major responsibilities for specific projects
and programmes as listed below:
1.
2.
3.
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Formulation of policies relating to Science and Technology.
Matters relating to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cabinet (SACC).
Promotion of new areas of Science and Technology with special emphasis on emerging areas.
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4. Futurology.
5. Coordination and integration of areas of Science & Technology having cross-sectoral linkages in which a
number of institutions and departments have interest and capabilities.
6. Undertaking or financially sponsoring scientific and technological surveys, research design and development,
where necessary.
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7. Support and Grants-in-aid to Scientific Research Institutions, Scientific Associations and Bodies.

8. All matters concerning:
(a) Science and Engineering Research Council;
(b) Technology Development Board and related Acts
(c) National Council for Science and Technology Communication;
(d) National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board;
(e) International Science and Technology Cooperation
(f) Autonomous Institutions relating to the subject under the Department of Science and Technology
including Institute of Astro-physics, and Institute of Geo-magnetism;
(g) Professional Science Academies funded by Department of Science and Technology;
(h) The Survey of India, and National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization;
(i) National Spatial Data Infrastructure and promotion of G.I.S;
(j) The National Innovation Foundation, Ahmadabad.
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9. Matters commonly affecting Scientific and technological departments/organizations/ institutions e.g.

financial, personnel, purchase and import policies and practices.
10. Management Information Systems for Science and Technology and coordination thereof.
11. Matters regarding Inter-Agency/Inter-Departmental coordination for evolving science and technology
missions.
12. Matters concerning domestic technology particularly the promotion of ventures involving the
commercialization of such technology other than those under the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research.
13. All other measures needed for the promotion of science and technology and their application to the
development and security of the nation.
14. Matters relating to institutional Science and Technology capacity building including setting up of new
institutions and institutional infrastructure.
15. Promotion of Science and Technology at the State, District, and Village levels for grass- roots development
through State Science and Technology Councils and other mechanisms.

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16. Application of Science and Technology for weaker sections, women and other disadvantaged sections of
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Society.
Science, Technology & Innovation Policy 2013
• Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) have emerged as the major drivers of national development
globally. As India aspires for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth, the Indian STI system, with the
advantages of a large demographic dividend and the huge talent pool, will need to play a defining role in
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achieving these national goals. The national STI enterprise must become central to national development.
• Scientific research utilizes money to generate knowledge and, by providing solutions, innovation converts
knowledge into wealth and/or value. Innovation thus implies S&T based solutions that are successfully
deployed in the economy or the society.
• It has assumed centre stage in the developmental goals of nations. Paradigms of innovation have become
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country and context specific. India has, hitherto not accorded due importance to innovation as an instrument
of policy. The national S&T enterprise must now embrace S&T led innovation as a driver for development.
• India has declared 2010-20 as the “Decade of Innovation”. The Government has stressed the need to
enunciate a policy to synergize science, technology and innovation and has also established the National
Innovation Council (NlnC). The STI Policy 2013 is in furtherance of these pronouncements. It aims to
bring fresh perspectives to bear on innovation in the Indian context.
The key elements of the STI Policy are as follows:
• Promoting the spread of scientific temper amongst all sections of society.
• Enhancing skill for applications of science among the young from all social strata.
• Making careers in science, research and innovation attractive enough for talented and bright minds.
• Establishing world class infrastructure for R&D for gaining global leadership in some select frontier areas
of science.
• Positioning India among the top five global scientific powers by 2020.
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• Linking contributions of science, research and innovation system with the inclusive economic growth
agenda and combining priorities of excellence and relevance.
• Creating an environment for enhanced Private Sector Participation in R&D.
• Enabling conversion of R&D outputs into societal and commercial applications by replicating hitherto
successful models as well as establishing of new PPP structures.
• Seeding S&T-based high-risk innovations through new mechanisms.
• Fostering resource-optimized, cost-effective innovations across size and technology domains.
• Triggering changes in the mindset and value systems to recognize, respect and reward performances which
create wealth from S&T derived knowledge.
• Creating a robust national innovation system.
Attracting Private Sector Investments in R&D: The Public funds for partnerships with the private sector for
social and public good objectives will be earmarked as a new policy initiative. A National Science, Technology

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and Innovation Foundation will be established as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative for investing
critical levels of resources in innovative and ambitious projects. The focus of the policy will be as follows:

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• Facilitating private sector investment in R&D centres in India and overseas.
• Promoting establishment of large R&D facilities in PPP mode with provisions for benefits sharing.
• Permitting multi stakeholders participation in the Indian R&D system.
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• Treating R&D in the private sector at par with public institutions for availing public funds.
• Bench marking of R&D funding mechanisms and patterns globally.
• Modifying IPR policy to provide for marching rights for social good when supported by public funds and
for co-sharing IPRs generated under PPP.
• Launching newer mechanisms for nurturing Technology Business Incubators (TBls) and science-led
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entrepreneurship.
• Providing incentives for commercialization of innovations with focus on green manufacturing.
– The guiding vision of aspiring Indian STI enterprise is to accelerate the pace of discovery and delivery
of science-led solutions for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. A strong and viable Science,
Research and Innovation System for High Iechnology-Ied path for India (SRISHTI) is the goal of the
new STI policy.
National Intellectual Property Rights Policy
• The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy will endeavor for a “Creative India; Innovative
India”
• The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy will lay the future roadmap for intellectual property
in India. The Policy recognises the abundance of creative and innovative energies that flow in India, and
the need to tap into and channelise these energies towards a better and brighter future for all.
• The National IPR Policy is a vision document that aims to create and exploit synergies between all forms
of intellectual property (IP), concerned statutes and agencies. It sets in place an institutional mechanism
for implementation, monitoring and review. It aims to incorporate and adapt global best practices to the
Indian scenario.
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• This policy shall weave in the strengths of the Government, research and development organizations,
educational institutions, corporate entities including MSMEs, start-ups and other stakeholders in the creation
of an innovation-conducive environment, which stimulates creativity and innovation across sectors, as also
facilitates a stable, transparent and service-oriented IPR administration in the country.
• The Policy recognizes that India has a well-established TRIPS-compliant legislative, administrative and
judicial framework to safeguard IPRs, which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities
provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns. It reiterates India’s commitment
to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS agreement.
• While IPRs are becoming increasingly important in the global arena, there is a need to increase awareness
on IPRs in India, be it regarding the IPRs owned by oneself or respect for others’ IPRs. The importance
of IPRs as a marketable financial asset and economic tool also needs to be recognised. For this, domestic
IP filings, as also commercialization of patents granted, need to increase. Innovation and sub-optimal
spending on R&D too are issues to be addressed.
• The broad contours of the National IPR Policy are as follows:

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Vision Statement: An India where creativity and innovation are stimulated by Intellectual Property for the
benefit of all; an India where intellectual property promotes advancement in science and technology, arts and
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culture, traditional knowledge and biodiversity resources; an India where knowledge is the main driver of
development, and knowledge owned is transformed into knowledge shared.
Mission Statement: Stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced intellectual property rights system in India to:
• foster creativity and innovation and thereby, promote entrepreneurship and enhance socio-economic and
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cultural development, and

• focus on enhancing access to healthcare, food security and environmental protection, among other sectors
of vital social, economic and technological importance.
Objectives: The Policy lays down the following seven objectives:
1) IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion - To create public awareness about the economic, social and
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cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society.

2) Generation of IPRs - To stimulate the generation of IPRs.
3) Legal and Legislative Framework - To have strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the interests of
rights owners with larger public interest.
4) Administration and Management - To modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration.
5) Commercialization of IPRs - Get value for IPRs through commercialization.
6) Enforcement and Adjudication - To strengthen the enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms for combating
IPR infringements.
7) Human Capital Development - To strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for
teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs.
These objectives are sought to be achieved through detailed action points. The action by different Ministries/
Departments shall be monitored by DIPP which shall be the nodal department to coordinate, guide and oversee
implementation and future development of IPRs in India.
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National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020

The National Biotechnology Development Strategy - 2015-2020 aims to establish India as a world-class bio-
manufacturing hub. It intends to launch a major mission, backed with significant investments, for the creation
of new biotech products, create a strong infrastructure for R&D and commercialization, and empower India’s
human resources scientifically and technologically.
The envisaged mission is to:
1) Provide impetus to utilising the knowledge and tools to the advantage of Humanity
2) Launch a major well directed mission backed with significant investment for generation of new Biotech
Products
3) Empower scientifically and technologically India’s incomparable Human Resource
4) Create a strong Infrastructure for R&D and Commercialisation
5) Establish India as a world class Bio-manufacturing Hub

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The Key elements of the Strategy are as follows:

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• Building a Skilled Workforce and Leadership
• Revitalizing the knowledge environment at par with the growing bio-economy
• Enhance Research opportunities in basic, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary sciences
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• Encourage use-inspired discovery research
• Focus on biotechnology tools for inclusive development
• Nurturing innovation, translational capacity and entrepreneurship
• Ensuring a transparent, efficient and globally best Regulatory system and communication strategy
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• Biotechnology cooperation- Fostering global and national alliances

• Strengthen Institutional Capacity with redesigned governance models
• Create a matrix of measurement of processes as well as outcome
The key elements would be implemented in collaboration and partnership with Other Ministries, Departments,
State Governments and international agencies towards achieving:
A) Making India ready to meet the challenge of achieving US$100bn by 2025
B) Launching Four Major Missions – Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, Clean Energy and Education
C) Creating a Technology Development and Translation network across the country with global partnership-
5 new clusters, 40 Biotech incubators, 150 TTOs, 20 Bio-connect centres
D) Strategic and focussed investment in building the Human Capital by creating a Life Sciences and
Biotechnology Education Council
Technology Vision Document 2035
• The Prime Minister unveiled the ‘Technology Vision Document 2035’ while inaugurating the 103rd Indian
Science Congress on 3rd January 2016. The document foresees the Indians of 2035, and technologies
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required for fulfilling their needs. It is not a visualization of technologies that will be available in 2035,
but a vision of where our country and its citizens should be in 2035 and how technology should bring this
vision to fruition.
• The document is dedicated to late Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.
• The Aim of this ‘Technology Vision Document 2035’ is to ensure the Security, Enhancing of Prosperity,
and Enhancing Identity of every Indian, which is stated in the document as “Our Aspiration” or “Vision
Statement” in all languages of the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
• The Prime Minister has hoped that the 12 Sectoral Technology roadmaps being prepared by Technology
Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council, (TIFAC), which is also the author of this ‘Technology
Vision 2035’ document, would excite our scientists and decision makers. Roadmaps, when prepared, will
be presented to the Government of India and they would lead for further adoption of technologies in those
sectors.
The 12 identified sectors of Vision Document are as follows:
1) Education

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2) Medical Sciences & Healthcare
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3) Food and Agriculture
4) Water
5) Energy
6) Environment
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7) Habitat
8) Transportation
9) Infrastructure
10) Manufacturing
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11) Materials
12) Information and Communication Technology
• The Vision documents also identifies twelve (12) prerogatives- (six for meeting individual needs and
six for the collective needs) that should be available to each and every Indian. These are as follows:
Individual Prerogatives:-
• Clean air and potable water
• Food and nutritional security
• Universal healthcare and public hygiene
• 24x7 energy
• Decent habitat
• Quality education, livelihood and creative opportunities
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Collective Prerogatives:-
• Safe and speedy mobility
• Public safety and national security
• Cultural diversity and vibrancy
• Transparent and effective governance
• Disaster and climate resilience
• Eco-friendly conservation of natural resources
– The vision document also makes a mention of three critical essential prerequisites or Transversal
Technologies i.e., materials, manufacturing, and Information and Communication technology (ICT) to
provide the foundation upon which all other technologies would be constructed.
– The document also talks of required infrastructure which it says primarily include relevant knowledge

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institutions besides ports, highways, airports, railways, cold chains, etc. Among the essential
prerequisites, it also mentions fundamental research in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and

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other allied sciences.
– There has also been a raging debate on the Social Impact of technology and the choice between
capital intensive and manpower intensive. Capital intensive technology, especially in India with abundant
human resources, has been projected as detrimental to the use of ‘Manpower’ as it is argued that it
would reduce jobs. The Vision Document seeks to bust this myth by arguing in favor of judicious
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policy and conscious planning in employing technology to impart new skills to the manpower and
fulfill needs of the society. It visualizes technology as a great leveler rather than as an enhancer of
social stratification.
– In order to overcome these challenges, the Vision Document 2035 envisages a rational assessment of
the capabilities and constraints of the Indian Technological Landscape. It categorizes technologies
into a five-fold classification from an Indian perspective which is as follows:
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A) Technology Leadership – niche technologies in which we have core competencies, skilled manpower,
infrastructure and a traditional knowledge base e.g., Nuclear Energy, Space Science.
B) Technology Independence – strategic technologies that we would have to develop on our own as
they may not be obtainable from elsewhere e.g., Defence sector.
C) Technology Innovation – linking disparate technologies together or making a breakthrough in one
technology and applying it to another e.g., solar cells patterned on chlorophyll based synthetic
pathway are a potent future source of renewable energy.
D) Technology Adoption – obtain technologies from elsewhere, modify them according to local
needs and reduce dependence on other sources e.g., foreign collaboration in the sectors of
rainwater harvesting, agri-biotech, desalination, energy efficient buildings.
E) Technology Constraints – areas where technology is threatening and problematic i.e. having a
negative social or environmental impact because of serious legal and ethical issues e.g., Genetically
Modified (GM) Crops.
– The Vision Document, in a separate section, gives a ‘Call to Action’ to all the key stakeholders. It
brings to notice that for long term sustainability of India’s technological prowess, it is important that
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1) Technical Education Institutions engage in advanced research on a large scale leading to path-
breaking innovations.
2) Government enhances its financial support from the current 1% to the long-envisaged 2% of the
GDP.
3) The number of full-time equivalent Scientists in the core research sector should increase.
4) Private Sector Participation and Investment in evolving technologies that is readily deployable
and is translatable from lab to field thereby increasing efficiency in terms of technology and
economic returns.
5) Academia-Intelligentsia-Industry connect is established via idea exchange, innovative curricula
design, based on the needs of the industry, industry-sponsored student internships and research
fellowships inter alia.
6) Creation of a Research Ecosystem so as to achieve the translation of research to technology
product/process by integrating students, researchers and entrepreneurs.
– The document also identifies three key activities as a part of the ‘Call to Action’. The first being

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knowledge creation. It says that India cannot afford not to be in the forefront of the knowledge
revolution, either applied or pure. The second activity that cannot be reflected, it says is ecosystem
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design for innovation and development. The document again interestingly says that the primary
responsibility for ecosystem design must necessarily rests with government authorities. A third key
activity that it mentions is technology deployment with launching certain national missions involving
specific targets, defined timelines requiring only a few carefully defined identified players.
– While this Vision document walks towards the future taking into consideration the country as a
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whole, the technology roadmap of each sector would provide of outlining future technology trends,
R&D directives, pointers for research, anticipated challenges and policy imperatives pertaining to each
sector.
Space Vision India 2025
It consists of the following:
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1) Satellite based communication and navigation systems for rural connectivity, security needs and mobile
services
2) Enhanced imaging capability for natural resource management, weather and climate change studies
3) Space science missions for better understanding of solar system and universe Planetary exploration
4) Development of Heavy lift launcher
5) Reusable Launch Vehicles - Technology demonstrator missions leading to Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO)
6) Human Space Flight.
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AWARDS RELATED TO SCIENCE

• Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize is awarded to scientists with outstanding achievements in the field of
physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and for peace. The set of annual international awards are bestowed
by Swedish and Norwegian committees. Awarded in honor of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, the awards
are the top most honors in the field of science.
• The Copley Medal: It is a scientific award given by the Royal Society, London to anyone with outstanding
achievements in any field of science.
• Albert Einstein World Award of Science: The award is presented by the World Cultural Council as an
incentive to science and technological research and development. The main motto is to honor those

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scientists whose works have done good to the mankind. The recipient of the award is selected by an
interdisciplinary committee, which is composed of world renowned scientists including Nobel laureates.
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along with philosophy and arts.  OR
Kyoto Prize: It is Japanese award that recognized outstanding work in the field of science and technology

Kavli Prize: The prize is awarded to the scientists with outstanding work in the field of astrophysics,
nanoscience and neuroscience. A joint venture between the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letter,
the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Kavli Foundation, the organization also
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awards three international prizes every second year.
• India Science Award: India Science Award is the highest and the most prestigious national recognition
by the Government of India for outstanding contribution to science. The primary and essential criterion
for the award is demonstrated and widely accepted excellence in science. The award covers all areas of
research in science including engineering, medicine and agriculture.
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• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize: The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB)
is a science award in India given annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for
notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental
science, engineering, mathematics, medicine and Physics. The purpose of the prize is to recognize
outstanding Indian work (according to the view of CSIR awarding committee) in science and technology. It
is the most coveted award in multidisciplinary science in India.
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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AS A SOURCE OF

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
The government supports different programmes aimed at identifying new talent and providing them with
financial assistance in the form of fellowships for pursuing research in front-line areas of science and technology.
Some schemes are described as below:
• Ramanujan Fellowships: The fellowship is meant for brilliant scientists and engineers from all over the
world to take up scientific research positions in India, especially those scientists who want to return to
India from abroad. The fellowships are scientist-specific and very selective. The Ramanujan Fellows could
work in any of the scientific institutions and universities in the country and they would be eligible for
receiving regular research grants through the extramural funding schemes of various S&T agencies of the
Government of India.

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• J C Bose National Fellowships: The fellowship is meant to recognize active scientists and engineers for
their outstanding performance and contributions. The Department of Science & Technology will administer
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this scheme. The fellowships are scientist-specific and very selective. All areas of science (in the broadest
terms) will be covered by this fellowship. 
• Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY): The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana is a programme
initiated by the Government of India to encourage students of the Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
to take up careers in research in these fields. The programme aims to identify and select students who
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demonstrate talent and aptitude, and encourage and assist them in pursuing research careers in their chosen
fields. In addition, summer programmes in prestigious research and education institutions in the country
are organized, and preferential access to facilities such as libraries, laboratories, museums, etc. are provided.
• Swarnajayanti Fellowships Scheme: Under this scheme a selected number of young scientists, with
proven track record, are provided special assistance and support to enable them to pursue basic research
in frontier areas of science and technology. The fellowships are scientist specific and not institution
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specific, very selective and have close academic monitoring. The support will cover all the requirements
for performing the research and will include a fellowship of Rs. 25,000/- per month for five years. 
• Women Scientists Scheme: The “Women Scientists Scheme (WOS)” provide opportunities to women
scientists and technologists between the age group of 30-50 years who desire to return to mainstream
science and work as bench-level scientists. Under this scheme, women scientists are being encouraged to
pursue research in frontier areas of science and engineering, on problems of societal relevance and to take
up S&T-based internship followed by self-employment.
• INSPIRE programme: Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) is an innovative
programme to communicate to the youth of the country the excitements of creative pursuit of science,
attract talent to the study of science at an early age and thus build the required critical human resource
pool for strengthening and expanding the Science & Technology system and R&D base. INSPIRE Scheme
has included three components. They are a) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS),
b) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC).
• KIRAN” (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing): KIRAN is addressing
various issues related with women scientists (e.g. unemployment, relocation etc.) and aimed to provide
opportunities in research (WOS-A), technology development/demonstration (WOS-B), and self-employment
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(WOS-C) etc. KIRAN is also actively involved in taking proactive measures, under the name CURIE
(Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities) to develop
state-of-the-art infrastructure in women universities in order to attract, train and retain promising girls
students in S&T domain.

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