Prof S. Chandrashekar Shetty, Vice-Chancellor, Adichunchanagiri University, on Friday said India has emerged as the second largest system in the world after China with the phenomenal growth in higher education system, producing the largest stock of scientific and technical manpower. This spectacular growth has also helped India to achieve self-reliance in manpower needs and even to ‘export’ manpower to the advanced countries
Delivering his address at the 8 th Graduation Day of Yuvaraja’s College, a constituent college of the University of Mysore, here, he said 45.5 per cent of grants for research comes from the Centre, out of which nearly two-thirds goes to atomic energy, space, and defence. Only 41.4 per cent of grants for research comes from the industries and 13.1 per cent from the state governments. However, the research grants are shrinking year after year as our research is not societal-oriented and most of the research by the current generation of researchers, especially from the State and conventional universities, is still limited to basic research.
India’s spending on research is only 0.69 per cent of its GDP whereas countries such as South Korea spend 4.2 per cent, and Israel spends 4.3 per cent. Research and innovation in India are inadequate and lopsided. It Is high time that the mindset of the faculty and the researchers change, Prof. Shetty advised.
Despite belonging to the select group of countries that have developed indigenous technologies, India needs to look forward to future challenges with a clear road map for its growth to compete with other fast growing nations. Significant developments in the nuclear energy sector are likely as India looks to expand its nuclear capacity. Nano-technology is expected to transform India’s pharma sector, he said.
Referring to the impact of COVID-19, Prof. Shetty said India could still sustain the impact and recover fast in its economy despite the pandemic. India could show its strength to the world by producing vaccines for fighting the pandemic, and also supplied the vaccines to many needy countries. By 2022, India’s R and D expenditure is targeted to reach at least 2 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Prof. Shetty said the institutions of higher learning need to be involved in the process of creating new knowledge through research. No programme of higher education can be implemented by people themselves who are not creative, innovative and discover the application of knowledge to a new situation. The excellence in higher education is enormously enhanced by linkages with national and international institutions and universities of excellence, he added..
Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore G. Hemantha Kumar presided. K.B. Umesha, Controller of Examinations, and College Principal B.N. Yashodha were present. The chief guest conferred degrees on the students at the convocation.
