Scientific and Technical Manpower Development in India

Abstract

The study aims at understanding critical issues in scientific, and technical (S&T) manpower development, and at identifying strategies to reform the system, both at the systemic, and institutional levels. While India has one of the world's largest stock of scientists, engineers, and technicians, it has not derived full economic benefits from this skill base, namely due to the mismatch/inadequacy of education, and training, and, to the limited employment capacity of the labor market. The main problems facing the higher S&T education system are reviewed, focusing on the over-centralization of statutory bodies, vs. lack of autonomy, and accountability by institutions; resource constraint and wastage; program structures, and content, irrelevant to changing market needs, and the increased economic liberalization in India; difficulties in retention of S&T faculty members, largely due non-competitive pay; and, regional disparity in the availability of educational facilities. The study presents a strategy for reforms in S&T education, which include decentralization of authority to empower individual institutions, towards an accountable management system. This would require mobilization of additional financial resources, and the establishment of effective quality assurance mechanisms to ensure excellence, for the optimal utilization of intellectual, and knowledge resources.