Poor Performance of India in Science Nobel Prizes | 21 Oct 2024

Source: IE 

Why in News?  

It has been 94 years since an Indian won a Nobel Prize in the sciences — Physics, Chemistry or Medicine — while working in India. 

• India's limited success at the Nobel Prizes is often viewed as an indicator of the state of its science, though other factors also contribute. 
• The last Indian to receive a Nobel Prize in science was CV Raman for scattering of light in Physics in 1930.  

What are the Reasons for Poor Performance of India in Science Nobel Prizes?  

• Low Public Funding for Research: The Indian government provides insufficient funding for scientific research, which hinders the development of groundbreaking work. 
  • In India, direct funding for basic research has remained at a low of 0.6-0.8% of GDP over the last decade, much lower than that of other BRICS nations.  
  • India’s total expenditure on R&D has, in fact, fallen from 0.82% to 0.64% of the GDP between 2005 and 2023. 
• Excessive Bureaucracy: Bureaucratic red tape within India's research institutions stifles innovation and slows down scientific progress. Eg.  
  • To order equipment in IIT Delhi, it takes 11 months. 
  • Rs 150 crore GST notice served to IIT Delhi is an example of how tax policies create financial strain on academic institutions. 
  • Government e-Marketplace (GeM) places a burden for mandatory procurement platforms for government institutions. 
• Small Researcher Pool: India has a disproportionately low number of researchers relative to its population. 
  • The number of researchers in India is five times lower than the global average, shrinking the pool of potential Nobel contenders. 
• Dependence on Individual Brilliance: In the absence of a strong research ecosystem, India's chances of winning future Nobel Prizes are largely dependent on the individual brilliance of its scientists, rather than systematic support or infrastructure. 
• Discretion in Research Institutions: Instead of focusing on breakthrough research, many heads of research institutions allegedly use these powers for personal career growth, such as securing prestigious awards like the Padma Shri or Bharat Ratna, or extending their post-retirement tenures. 
• Lack of Clear Research Direction: Many scientists pursue outdated or irrelevant topics, often based on failed experiments in the USA or EU, which have no practical applications in India.  
  • E.g., Ignoring water technologies and agricultural innovation for high-energy particle accelerators or complex nuclear fusion projects. 
• Focus on Quantity Over Quality: Most of the research carried out in government-funded research institutions is geared towards generating “number sake" publications rather than producing meaningful innovations. 
• Dependence on Foreign Technologies: Instead of developing original solutions, Indian scientists are often involved in merely duplicating or adapting technologies developed abroad, which does not require deep scientific innovation or merit. 
• Over Reliance on Private Sector Success: Recent successes in vaccine development during the Covid-19 pandemic were primarily achieved by private sector labs, illustrating a disconnect between government-funded research institutions and successful scientific breakthroughs.  
  • This reliance further undermines the credibility and necessity of government labs in significant scientific advancements. 
• Legacy of Mediocrity: Even when foreign-trained scientists return to India, they often fail to live up to their potential due to the unhealthy institutional environment. 
  • They become trapped in a cycle of publishing irrelevant research and seeking promotions, rather than pursuing excellence or tackling significant scientific challenges. 
• Historical Missed Opportunities: Several notable Indian scientists produced groundbreaking work but were either overlooked or not nominated for a Nobel. For example. 
  • Jagadish Chandra Bose: Demonstrated wireless communication in 1895 but was not nominated, while the Nobel was awarded to Guglielmo Marconi and Ferdinand Braun for the exact work in 1909. 
  • K S Krishnan: Co-discovered the Raman scattering effect with C.V. Raman, but was never nominated for the Nobel. 
  • ECG Sudarshan: The Nobel Prizes in Physics, in 1979 and in 2005, were given for work in which the most fundamental contributions had come from Sudarshan but he was overlooked for the prize.  
    • ECG Sudarshan worked on electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles. 
• Nominations but No Wins: Several Indian scientists, such as Meghnad Saha, Homi Bhabha, Satyendra Nath Bose, G N Ramachandran, and T Seshadri, were nominated multiple times for Nobel Prizes but did not win. 
• Western Dominance in Nobel Prizes: Nobel Prizes have been dominated by scientists from the US and Europe, which have stronger scientific infrastructure and research ecosystems. 
  • Of the 653 people who have won the Nobel Prize for Physics, Chemistry or Medicine, more than 150 belong to the Jewish community, an astoundingly high proportion. But Israel has won only four Nobel Prizes in science. 

What can be Done to Improve the Performance of India in Science Nobel Prizes? 

• Increase Public Funding for R&D: The Indian government should commit to increasing the percentage of GDP allocated to research and development, aiming to reach at least 1.5% in the near term. 
• Encouraging High-Impact Research: Promote and fund high-risk, high-reward research initiatives that could lead to groundbreaking technologies. 
• Revamping Evaluation Processes: Create diverse panels of reviewers with relevant expertise to evaluate research proposals.  
  • This will help ensure that valuable ideas are not overlooked due to biases or misunderstandings. 
• Expand the Researcher Pool: Promoting STEM education and investing in higher education can help cultivate a larger and more skilled pool of researchers.  
• Reform Research Institutions: Ensure that funding and opportunities are allocated based on merit and potential societal impact rather than personal ambition. 
• Leverage Public-Private Partnerships: Facilitate collaborations between government research institutions and private sector firms to enhance research capabilities and drive innovation. 
• Recognise Scientific Talent: Establish national awards and recognition programs for outstanding scientific contributions to encourage more significant efforts toward groundbreaking work. 
• Strengthen Global Collaborations: Encourage Indian scientists to collaborate with international research communities, sharing knowledge and resources to raise the profile of Indian research on the global stage.