Scientists stuck in red tape and admin work: Niti Aayog report
A NITI Aayog report highlights that Indian scientists are hindered by excessive administrative burdens, bureaucratic red tape, and funding delays. The report calls for systemic reforms to improve the ease of doing research and address the country's low R&D investment.
Why it matters
Administrative inefficiencies and low R&D spending are identified as major bottlenecks preventing India from reaching its full potential in scientific innovation and global competitiveness.
BENGALURU: India may be producing more research papers, patents and startups, but scientists are still spending too much time navigating the system meant to support their work.A new NITI Aayog report on the Ease of Doing Research & Development lists procedural problems researchers face, from repeated grant applications and delayed funds to cumbersome procurement, vacant posts and excessive administrative controls.The report says India’s R&D ecosystem is still marked by a “significant trust deficit between the R&D project granting agency and researchers”, which keeps scientists from utilising their time purely for research.“Researchers are often not able to utilise their time purely for R&D activities without being worried about the administrative issues. There are also issues of capacity as well as rigidities in the science administration systems, which are largely internal to the institutions,” the report reads.The problem begins with money.
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