NEP HE 2020: National Research Foundation (NRF)

Research is an expression of faith in the possibility of progress. The drive that leads scholars to study a topic, has to include the belief that new things can be discovered, that newer can be better, and that greater depth of understanding is achievable. Research, especially academic research, is a form of optimism about the human conditions. – Henry Rosovsky

 India, one of the oldest civilizations on the earth, has rich tradition of creating knowledge & wisdom and disseminating it lavishly across the globe for betterment of humanity. However, history always turns up-side down, through many travails we have currently emerged as the largest democracy in the World. Somewhere we have lost the shin of educational excellence we once had in the period of Nalanda, Vikramsheela and Taksheela Universities.

After a gap of 34 years, NEP 2020 has turned another leaf in our history, raising hopes to regain our past glory. It has prominently emphasized the need of quality research to enhance the quality of education in India. For quality education system, fundamental and applied research is the key to glory. Knowledge society and knowledge economy tend to attain intellectual and material wealth through fundamental contributions to new knowledge. As mentioned in NEP 2020, the ability to conduct one’s own research also enables a country to much more easily import and adapt relevant research from abroad.

Current statistics may not be very encouraging for a country with the population of 140 crore, if we look at base level data from where NEP intends to elevate educational standards and wants to ascend.

(Throughout in this article for data and concept referred are from -  MoE discussion on NEP, 22nd September 2020 – Dr Shailja Vaidya Gupta, Sr Advisor / Scientist H, Off. of the Principle Scientific Advisor, Government of India, NEP 2020 document and web research)

If we look at the output, in terms of no. of patents application (World Intellectual Property Organization WIPO 2017), China has 13, 81, 584, USA has 6,06, 956, compared to them India has mere 46, 582 (68% by NRI). Publication in top journals, India scores 15.8%, whereas USA 36.2% and China 27.6%. We are still struggling with literacy rates. Currently, Research and innovation investment in India is 0.69% of GDP as compared to 2.8% in USA, 4.3% in Israel, and 4.2% in South Korea.

Research is not getting as much importance in our education system as it is required to impart quality education. Apart from few well-funded standalone Institutes, research is not as prominent in poorly funded Universities, where entire infrastructure and fund is focussed on teaching. Education and research are separated and hence both are suboptimized. National Research Foundation (NRF) has a daunting task ahead to optimize both by bridging the gap. The nation is in dire need to enhance its research capabilities and output across disciplines. NRF Policy envisions a comprehensive approach to transforming the quality and quantity of research.

1.  Current challenges for NEP HE (2020): Bringing focus on Research.

Research is to see what everybody has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

To impart quality education, both teaching and research must be made complimentary and optimized. Encouraging intense research work at University level leading to patent, publications, and practical applications (Innovation leading to solutions and business propositions) should be the norm.

Challenge is to encourage serious research in University set-up (875 Universities) and evolving new Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in line with contemporary vision, needs and expectations (local & Global) and compete with the best in the world. So far, well-funded Institutions are taking the lead with almost 95% of the share, mainly in technical field. Few prominent Institutes like 23 IITs, 7 IISER, 40 CSIR, ICAR (4 deemed University and 98 Research Centres), ICMR (22 Institutes, 8 Research Centres), 12 Mo Earth Science, 20 Mo S&T, 15 Mo Biotech, DAE (3 Universities, 19 Research Centres), 7 MeitY, 20 ISRO, 64 DRDO, 14 ICFRE, along with IISc, NITs, etc  are key contributors in teaching and research.

From this base data, we need to add many new Research Institutions of great repute in India. Since focus of education system is shifting to multidisciplinary, multilingual, vibrant academic culture, many pathbreaking brand new innovative applied centres of repute should take forward applied research resulting in patents, publications of articles and books and fundamental path breaking discoveries and innovations. We must be competing with the best of the world bringing home Nobel Prizes and other international laurels and creating few such platforms in India as well which world should aspire to compete for. We would like to see the day when foreign nationals compete to secure seat for education in India like Indian students’ line-up for Cambridge, Oxford, MIT, Stanford, Harvard and Ivy Leagues Universities. Also we should produce string of publications equivalent to and competing with HBR and other top ranking journals; we can aspire to create high standard research publications and books in local languages for vernacular students to refer to for their research.

Our credibility has to be built in serious research in cutting edge technology acquiring relevant patents in Space Research and astronomy, cryogenic technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, Internet of Things (IoT), neural networking, futuristic infrastructure construction technologies, oceanography, military equipment, next generation aviation /shipbuilding /road transport / automobile technology, stem cells or latest precision medical processes. To add to it, to create a more equal society, bringing in fold the weakest and Socio-Economically Disadvantage Groups (SEDGs) with equal opportunity, support and achievements.

Education system should ensure secure income for most of the students where unemployment bogs down majority. Finding livelihood / jobs have become a serious issue with pandemic adding to the woos. Hence challenge is to create a system which follows a structured education path leading to meaningful and gainful economic activity. Many students have their school education in vernacular language and as they move to graduation, suddenly they have to shift medium of instructions to English, and that is where most dropout happens and survivors struggle to express themselves in a language they are not comfortable with (English), which reduces their quality of achievements and output. Large number of students at HEIs are first generation to get into HE, with not much intellectual support from family.

Due to lack of quality of education at Schools, Colleges and University, there is a dissonance seen, as the states with maximum no. of schools out of total 15.2 lakh schools in India (UP- 2,55,969; Bihar 84,236, AP 62,702) may not reflect in literacy rate (UP-73%, Bihar 70%, AP 66.4%: Average Literacy rate of India 77.7%). We have total 875 Universities (Private – 287, Deemed Universities – 123, State Universities – 381, Central Universities – 54 and others), apart from Institutions mentioned above. Primarily NRF will be involved in funding competitive peer reviewed grant proposals of all types and across all disciplines. NRF intends to seed, grow and facilitate research at Universities and colleges, where research capacity currently is in nascent stage and poorly funded. Challenge is not just adding new futuristic Institutions, but also to revamp existing school, colleges, Universities and Institutions and bring them up to international reputation by improving quality of education.

2. Role of National Research Foundation (NRF)

According to NEP, NRF is going to play significant role in bridging gap between education and research. As mentioned earlier, if Universities are supposed to take lead and make considerable achievements in fundamental and applied research, they must be properly funded to facilitate the process and also benchmark their actions and output with internationally acceptable benchmark, enjoying greater autonomy within HE framework. This will also require reach out to a large section of talented students so far untouched and provide them quality and equal opportunity, particularly to those who are from SEDGs. However, Institutions currently funding research, like DST, DAE, DBT, ICAR, ICMR, ICHR and UGC etc. will continue to independently fund research according to their priorities and needs.

The most acceptable language to conduct the research is English, but NRF should facilitate and encourage research done in mother tongue and local / regional languages to tap on talents who find it challenging to express themselves in English. Also there is need to move beyond fundamental research to more applied and innovative research, e.g., Research work in Physics can be important, but we need to encourage research in various Engineering branches as well. Most students move out of Engineering Institutions to get absorbed in job market, not contributing to research in various branches of engineering. NRF intends to create a thriving Research, Education and Innovation ecosystem, and mend artificially separated education and research. It hints about faculty career management system that gives due weightage to research, and the governance and regulatory changes that encourage an environment of research and innovation.

NRF proposes to set up 10 Directorates to facilitate the process – Natural Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Engineering, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts, Design and Humanities, Indian Languages and knowledge system, Health and finally, Innovation and entrepreneurship. 1000 Doctoral and 1000 postdoctoral fellow ship will be given each year across Directorates, also proving teaching assistance-ship as defined in NRF. However, ideally if NRF encourages mother tongue and local language, then there should be fairly good representation of research work (to encourage it may hve provision for some quotas) in mother tongue and regional / local language.

It will be really eyeopener to see how many cross-functional, interdisciplinary / multidisciplinary / multilingual research works really takes shape and how it impacts the body of knowledge and practical innovations. Output should attract international reputations and acceptance of relevant educational fraternity. HEIs should encourage work in area of critical national importance which should be clearly enumerated as guidelines. “National Mission Project” of critical importance should have direct impact nationwide. NRF will act as a liaison between researchers and relevant branches of government as well as industry to address most urgent national research issues.

Performance should be incentivized and encouraged, and talent should be nurtured by providing them appropriate platform and support. Direct involvement of faculty can be very crucial. They should not only guide research but mentor students for imbibing core competency as researcher. NRF proposes Professorship at University / College level each year across disciplines – five-year renewable position to be trusted with the best of the researcher. Emphasis is on multidisciplinary research and Professor Chairs should shun away the silo approach and take integrative approach. In fact, one of the key primary activity of NRF as mentioned in NEP 2020 is to recognize outstanding research and progress.

3. Current status of publications and patents

What is research but a blind date with knowledge? Will Harvey

(Reference: Mapping Patents and Research Publications of Higher Education Institutes and National R&D Laboratories of India by Dr Rupinder Tewari and Mamta Bhardwaj, Panjab University under the aegis of department of Science & Technology, Government of India, 2018 – data taken from this book, for comprehensive data refer book).

 As per global indicators, India is ranked amongst the top 5 countries in terms of number of research publications (Scimago Journal & Country Rank, 2016). However, its global ranking slips down heavily to 45th rank in the indicator of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) (International Property Rights Index Report, 2017). As per Annual Report 2016-17 of Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trade Marks and Geographical Indications (CGPDTM), GoI, 45, 444 patent applications were filed in India, out of which only one fourth applications were filed by Indians, rest by the foreign applicants. Barring CSIR Labs, IITs, and IISc-Bangalore, other institutes do not have much credibility in the regime of patents.

 Scientific research should lead to financial benefits and hence should lead to creation of IPR and patents. However, data doesn’t look as encouraging in Indian context. True value of intellectual property (IP) is realized when the commercial worth of the product or technology is explored. The focus of many of our Indian researchers is more on publishing their research work which needs a paradigm shift. To strengthen the IPR regime in India, the National IPR Policy-2016 was adopted by the Government of India on 12th May, 2016.

Some data about patents and publications for a bird eye view of current status of HEIs, research publications and patents (from above mentioned book).

• The trends of patents filed/granted/examined/ disposed in India in the last five years (2012-17) shows gradual increase in the number of patents (filed/granted/examined) in the last five years. Comparing the data of 2012 and 2017, an increase of 3.90%, 57.65%, 58.10% and 70.17% in the categories of patents filed, granted, examined and disposal of patents respectively.
• Looking into the number of patents filed and granted in India in various fields of industrial sectors - Mechanical sector leads the list with 10,715 filed-patents (23.57% of the total filed-patents). The second rank is held by Computers/Electronics (6,443) followed by Chemical (5,911), Electrical (4,141), Drugs (2,122), General Engineering (1,225), Biotechnology (876) and Food (283) sectors.
•  In the patent-granted category Chemical sector (2673) has replaced Mechanical sector (1,939) as the leader in industrial sector. Third position has been claimed by Computer/Electronics (1,049) followed by Electrical (579), Drugs (551), and Biotechnology (333), General Engineering (228) and Food (71) sectors.
•  State-wise categorization of ordinary patents-filed – 1st position to Maharashtra (3,513) followed by Tamil Nadu (2,003), Karnataka (1,764) and Delhi (1,066). These four states account for 63.75% of the total ordinary patents filed with IPO. As per IPO data of 2016-17, out of a total of 45,444 patents filed, 70.8% applications were filed by foreign applicants and only 29.2% by Indian applicants.
•  In the domain of scientific and R&D organizations first ten organizations filed 499 patents in 2016-17, with Council of Scientific & Industrial Research CSIR (230), followed by Defence Research & Development Organisation DRDO (58) patent applications.
•  Of the top ten organizations, four belong to the public sector and the remaining six fall in the category of private sector. These are, G.H.R Labs and Research Centre (50); Hetero Research Foundation (23); Allinov Research & Development Pvt. Ltd. (20); MSN Research & Development Centre (19); L&T Technology Services Ltd. (18); Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company Ltd. (14), and GSP Crop Science Pvt. Ltd. (13).
•  The top ten Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) of India in the area of patent filing for the year 2016-17. The IITs (collective) on first position with 400 patent applications, followed by Amity University, Noida (106) patent applications filed. Interestingly, only 3 public institutes (IITs, IISc-Bangalore and NITs) figure in the top ten applicants.
•  Amongst the top 5 Indian Patentees, three belong to public sector i.e. CSIR (104), DRDO (80), and IITs (55) occupying first, second and fifth rankings. The third and fourth ranks are shared by private companies i.e. Samsung R&D Institute India Bangalore Private Limited, Bengaluru (64) and Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Mumbai (62).
•  The top 5 foreign resident patentees are Qualcomm Incorporated; GM Global Technology Operations INC; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N. V., LG Electronics, and Honda Motor Company Ltd.
•  In the field of Information Technology (IT), Wipro Ltd. (190), occupies the first position. It is followed by Tata Consultancy Services Limited (159), IITs (Collective) (43), HCL Technologies Ltd. (35) and Huawei Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., (29).
• Revenue generated by Indian patent office in 2016-17 was Rs. 410.03 Crore, whereas expenditure incurred was Rs. 49.67 Crore
• Research Publications and Patenting Profile of Higher Education Institutes and R&D Laboratories of India: Composite analysis of 904 Institutions of HEIs (351) and National research lab (553) were mapped for total research publications/patents filed and granted for period 2010-16, five top Institutions were DU, New Delhi (15052/26), IISC, Bangalore (10852/174), IIT, Kharagpur (8724/10), BHU Varanasi (8140/3) and BARC, MUMbai (7887/16).

HEIs have great challenge ahead to transform Indian HE system and make it more relevant, meaningful and accessible, grooming talents from every corner of the country. NRF can play a big role by enlisting and encouraging Universities to exponentially increase the quality research resulting in solutions to challenges of national importance, business solutions, patents and IPR.

Time head needs careful selection of faculty and researchers in University system and other HEIs, providing basic infrastructure and funding and incentivize performance by creating merit based career path. For they can be a great deciding factor to shape the future education system of India.

 How to assess, select and groom talented researchers and faculty to produce quality publications and patents – leave your thoughts in the comment box.