Noted academician and scientist Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, who assumed office as Executive Vice-President of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) on October 28, reveals his blueprint for the promotion of quality scientific research in the State.
Prof. Pillai responded to The Hindu’s queries in an e-mail from New Delhi.
Q: What will be your primary mission in your new role, considering the challenges faced by the S&T sector in Kerala?
A: What I intend to do right now is sit down with my scientist colleagues at all levels and review their individual and institutional research with regard to its impact on the following areas: 1) Science education at the primary and secondary school-levels; 2) Undergraduate and postgraduate science learning in colleges; 3) The PG teaching and research in the university departments of Science and Technology; 4) Capacity building or training of craftsmen at the Industrial Training Institutes; 5) Kerala's rural, industrial and social sector development; and 6) Knowledge creation.
Based on these inputs, systematic attempts will be made for positive intervention in these areas. I would request them for a leapfrogging in their approaches, since generational changes, not incremental improvements, are required in such areas. We will appraise the State and Central governments of the need to fund the S&T interventions for enhancing the quality of life and life management systems and the environment in Kerala.
Q: As someone who has been associated with the education sector for so long, what is your assessment of the scientific research institutes in the State, their strengths and weaknesses?
A: These institutes have done reasonably well. In their formative stages and initial phases, some of them have excelled, and even now Kerala can be proud of having the largest network of scientific research institutes. If we just look at the input-output analysis, I would rate them very good.
The inputs from the State in terms of finance, quality human resources and infrastructure have remained almost static for the last several years. In this context, it is important to look at new sources for financing. Successful models - public-private partnership in S&T research, industry participation and multi-sectoral collaborations - can make these institutions world-class.
Q: What needs to be done to improve the quality of work and the output of these institutes?
A: The profile of science and technology has changed beyond recognition. State-of-the-art facilities need to be created for quality research. There should be provisions and ambience in these institutes for bright postgraduates to take up full-time, development-oriented research pertaining to the State. Maybe a Research Assessment Exercise and a periodic rating would do good.
Q: Do you have a flagship project in mind for the S&T sector?
A: Yes; after discussing with the scientists and technologists, three flagship projects, priority-wise, may be taken up: 1) Science and technology-based skill development for providing employable skills to youth as part of the National Skills Mission. 2) A development project for the protection and sustenance of the rivers in Kerala 3) A Research and Development Assistance scheme for creating a pool of young scientists who will do research in their domain area linking it with the specific developmental issues of Kerala.
Q: Based on your experience in the education sector, what needs to be done to inculcate an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional approach in our scientists?
A: Directed, development-oriented S&T research is possible only through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches and inter-sectoral collaboration. Appropriate research methodology on interdisciplinary approaches needs to be provided to the potential S&T researchers. I think it is to be mandated.
Q: Do you advocate a performance auditing system for scientists?
A: Yes, very much. This would be a globally acceptable one.
Q: Do you see the need to network our institutes with other S&T institutions in India?
A: As a policy, yes. I will facilitate such a networking not only with institutions in India, may be across the world. My first priority is to bring all the institutes under the National Knowledge Network (NKN) of the Government of India.
Published - October 30, 2011 05:37 pm IST
