Hyderabad: Dissent seems to be brewing in some laboratories under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) against the mandate given by the NDA government to research and invent on specific lines that directly benefit the society.
Top scientists, though not openly, say that most of the CSIR labs were established with the intent of carrying out research in basic sciences and create scientific knowledge, but the new government is now telling them to develop products and technologies that are to be commercialised.
In June this year, CSIR labs, under the leadership of Union science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, had adopted the Dehradun Declaration.
At the convention, Dr Harsh Vardhan had said CSIR should focus on developing technologies for improving the quality of life of the common man.
As per a release issued then, the minister had said, “Coming months would see each of the laboratory focusing its resources on developing specific lines of inventions which would contribute to the social and economic objectives of the Narendra Modi government for the poor and common man.”
Minister of State Y.S. Chowdhary had asked labs to develop 12 cutting edge techs every year for commercialisation.
But scientists in some of the labs feel that the same agenda can’t be thrust upon all the institutions. Though the CSIR was formed to do industrial research and develop industrial tech, many labs have spun off to do basic research in their sectors.
“Some labs do only basic research in their subject and their job is to do research, publish papers and patent some technologies if there is scope. Basically we have to create knowledge in our research sectors. We should not be working to just create commercial products or technology,” said a director of a CSIR lab, on condition of anonymity.
Scientists say all research can’t benefit society at large citing the example of the Mars Rover and other extra terrestrial activities. All labs have also been asked to become self-financing.
At the same time, there are labs under the CSIR umbrella, which are for technology development and have “Technology” in their name. “See, the mandate of CSIR is to develop industrial technology and that is what is the Dehradun Declaration. I think all technology labs and others also support the Declaration,” said the director of another CSIR lab.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
