Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Sept 17: Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari today stressed for removing barriers between teaching and research and said that it would create role models and inspire the young generation for scientific temperament.
While delivering inaugural address at the 8th J&K Science Congress at Kashmir University today, Ansari said: “Inspiration and creation of role models would be easier if the barriers between teaching and research are lowered if not eliminated altogether by senior and eminent teachers making it a point to teach undergraduate classes.”
He said that an essential concomitant would be a new culture of research, greater autonomy and sufficient freedom of dissent. He said research is one aspect of the matter, development leading to technological innovation is another. “When the two come together, the objective of socially relevant innovation is achieved, he said. This, in turn, contributes in varying measures to the production of economically relevant public goods. Innovation thus becomes an index of progress and development”, he added.
Ansari said that the challenge then is three fold: “to catch young talent inclined to pursue science studies, to nurture it, and to motivate it sufficiently to remain attached to the domain of science to become the next generation of teachers and researchers.”
The Vice president said that some institutional push to encourage innovation in our society has emanated from The National Innovation Foundation – India since its inception in the year 2000. “The results remain modest as is evident from the number of patents registered. More therefore needs to be done”, he added.
The Vice president said that most important external barrier to Innovation, as perceived by both large firms and SMEs is skill shortage, due to lack of emphasis on creativity, problem-solving, design, experimentation etc in the education curricula. “In order to unleash India’s Innovation potential, an essential step is systematic reform of the higher education system in India which would act as an enabler for developing the required intellectual capital as well as in laying the foundation for effective collaboration between industry and educational institutions. It could be argued that Innovation, Education (including Vocational Education) and Entrepreneurship are three ends of a triangle, each of which is related to the other”, he added.
Ansari said that stronger capabilities and a more integrated view of Science and technology is required in order to emerge as an effective knowledge power for the welfare of people. “This, besides enhanced financial support, would need more effective mechanisms to catch and encourage talent”, he added.
He said that Jammu and Kashmir faced great many challenges in the area of S&T Education and Research infrastructure. “Most of these can be addressed by the adoption and implementation of various schemes of the Indian Government aimed to attract students towards science subjects. Similarly, various Doctoral and Post Doctoral fellowships to promote the interest in Research can be availed of. Furthermore, the special packages announced for S&T Sector in Jammu and Kashmir from time to time have to be implemented in letter and spirit to give fillip to the development of scientific temper among youth of this region. This is a moral obligation apart from being a functional one”, he added.
The Vice president said that vocational training has to be linked to employability and therefore to different segments of local economy. “Acquiring excellence in traditional crafts results in value addition. Similarly, training in service skills needed by the tourism sector could add considerably to employment generation. The Vice President opined that vocational training has to be linked to employability and therefore to different segments of local economy” he added.
Ansari said that a new science policy is in the offing under which more money would be diverted to the research and development. He said: ”Despite these efforts, and as Prime Minster Dr Manmohan Singh pointed out earlier this year in the 99th session of the Indian Science Congress, our relative position in the world of science has declined and our total R&D spending at the current level stands at 0.9 percent of GDP. The objective, he added, is to take it to 2 percent by the end of the XII Plan. To pursue this objective, a new science policy is in the offing.”
The Vice President gave away Young Scientist Awards 2010 to 10 young scientists of the State on this occasion. He also released Abstract Book of the Science Congress. The abstract book comprises 867 abstracts from 1448 researchers from within and outside the State.
The young scientists who were awarded include Dr Reyazul Rouf of SKUAST, Jammu in the field of Agriculture and allied sciences, Dr Mubashir Masoodi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kashmir University for his outstanding work on Kashmir’s medicinal plants.
Shaima of Department of Computer Sciences, NIT, Hazratbal for her contribution in the field of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Sciences, Dr Sunil Wanchoo of SMVDU, Jammu for his contribution in the field of Physical Sciences, Dr Sandeep Dogra of GMC, Jammu for his contribution to Health and Medical Sciences. Dr Firdous Khanday of Kashmir University and Dr Parvinder Kumar University of Jammu for their contribution to life sciences. Dr Muzamil Jan of Kashmir University for her contribution to Home/Social Sciences and Dr Monika Gupta, Jammu University for her contribution to Chemical Sciences.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while addressing the Congress highlighted what he said path breaking achievements of SKUAST to clone pashmina goat ‘Noore’, diagnose of Hepatitis-E and non-surgical treatment for Hydatide-cyst by SKIMS, producing best working group on plant invasion in India by Kashmir University and contribution of Jammu University in the Hadron collusion Research tell the success story of research and scientific work done by the scientists in the State.
Omar said that there is much need to widen the scientific research orbit and catch up with the progress other countries have achieved in this field. He said that a recent study titled “Global Research Report” has indicated that India during 2007, 2008 had 156 researchers per million in population as compared to 4,700 per million in United States while the number of researchers in China was 14,23,000 against India’s 1,54,800 in 2007. “India’s spending on research and development was US $24 billion in 2007-08 as compared to US $104 billion and USA’s $368 billion”, he said laying stress on focusing this sector to keep pace with other countries.
He said that creation of scientific temperament at the primary school level requires thrust. “We have to inculcate interest among the young boys and girls in science and research right from their early age so that they could be nurtured and mould into futuristic scientists of par excellence”, he said and emphasized the need for teaching science subjects in all the schools and colleges besides providing best laboratory facilities to the students.
Earlier, Governor N N Vohra called upon the scientists to rededicate their efforts for securing more effective application of scientific knowledge and technological tools to address the challenges facing the State and the country and securing rapid all round progress to promote the welfare of the people.
Vohra stressed for joint efforts by academia, research institutions, policy makers and the governmental functionaries for reach and application of the scientific knowledge.
The Governor observed that with dedicated efforts in the past decades, thanks to the excellent work done by our scientists and technologists it had been made possible to lay the foundations of growth and development. He said that among the most significant achievements was the success of the Green Revolution which paved the way for the country achieving self-sufficiency in food grain production.
Ansari said that India has also made a mark in atomic and space research, aviation, medical and agricultural research and in other spheres of scientific knowledge. He said that the University of Kashmir, other universities in the State, and the various institutions of technical learning and research had talented members in their faculties and gifted students, and that there is no reason whatsoever for the State not being able to achieve excellent outcomes if all the available potentials were effectively exploited.
Referring to the phenomenon of global warming, climate change, receding of glaciers and serious challenges arising on the environmental front, the Governor emphasized the need for appropriate solutions being found, within envisaged time frames, through feasible technological interventions and cost-effective approaches to preserve the State’s rich biodiversity and its precious water bodies.
Vohra said there is urgent need for cleaning up the Dal lake and restoring Wullar and other water bodies in the State. “Our own scientists must get together to deal with the problem of weeds in our lakes and to also make scientific use of the weeds which are removed from the water bodies”, he added.
Professor Krishan Lal, President, Indian National Science Academy, said that science and technology is the key to progress, growth and prosperity. He said that the rate of generation of new knowledge is very high and there is spectacular advancement in the arenas of science and technology in the country. He gave details of the establishment, history, evolution and activities of the Indian National Science Academy.
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Minister for Science and Technology, said that several initiatives have been taken in the State for the promotion of science and technology which ultimately gives boost to economic growth and development. He observed that the Science Congress will provide an opportunity to the young scientists of the State to interact with best brains in the country.
Professor Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University, gave details of the participants and the working sessions of the 3-day Science Congress. He stated that this event will help in further promoting science and technology in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that Indian National Science Academy will hold its Council meeting in the Kashmir University in October, 2012.
The Vice President released the latest issue of the ‘Central Asian Digest’, brought out by the Centre for Central Asian Studies, University of Kashmir, in the presence of the Governor and Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of the University, at the Raj Bhavan, here today.
Eleven faculty members of the Centre for Central Asian Studies, headed by Prof. G R Jan, Director of the Centre, briefed the Vice President about the research activities of the Centre which focussed on varied issues relating to the Central Asian countries, including the revival of Silk Route.
Later, the Vice President was seen off at Srinagar Airport after his four days Kashmir visit by Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah this afternoon.
Various dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
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