Biju Dharmapalan
Despite tremendous growth made in the field of science and technology, Indian science is beset with a lot of issues at the ground level. Landmark discoveries in science can be made only if it is done with passion. Today there is no room for passion. Most students do research as they don’t have any other option. Research is considered a stop-gap arrangement between marriage or employment. One main issue affecting Indian science is the plight of Indian research scholars. In many institutions, scholars are considered equivalent to a class four employee. They are made to work like a horse in a lab, with no free time, no holidays and a meagre salary if one is not fortunate enough to get through some of the fellowships like CSIR-UGC or ICMR , DBT JRF etc. Even in labs, many passionate scholars are tortured by their supervisors. May supervisors in India think that scholars are their slaves, and they make them do anything they want, especially in getting good publications. No scholar is given the freedom to pursue their line of thought in the research. Most supervisors repeat the work their supervisors have trained them. There are very few supervisors who shift to a new domain of research, unlike their Western counterparts. If a student doesn’t obey, the supervisors cause undue delay in completing the thesis. There are instances of students completing their PhD within 7 to 10 years. Ofcourse, few scholars make purposeful delays in completing their work. For them getting CSIR- UGC fellowship, up to 5 years is the priority, of course, its better than searching for a job. There are even instances where supervisors ask for monetary benefits for completing the PhD. In some private universities, fellows working in Government-funded projects ask students to reimburse part of the fellowship amount to the supervisors. In Government-aided institutions, students must undergo administrative heckles to get the fellowship on time. Even after the completion of PhD, many scholars find it difficult to find employment and end up in menial jobs for which their higher qualification doesn’t have any weightage. If India has to become a scientific superpower, we need to build a robust next-generation workforce. This will become a reality only if our young researchers passionately conduct their research and are placed in a good jobs.
As a person exposed to Indian research, I know that most of the above-mentioned issues are true. In this era of artificial intelligence, where AI dominates every field of human life, I was inquisitive to find out how AI will perceive Indian science. With this objective, I asked the most popular Chat bot, ChatGPT its perception of Indian science. Regarding the issues affecting Indian science, the bot gave the following,
Funding: One of the major issues affecting Indian science is the lack of funding. While the Indian Government has increased funding for science in recent years, it is still much lower than that of other countries. This lack of funding makes it difficult for researchers to conduct high-quality research and to attract and retain talented scientists.
Infrastructure: The lack of proper infrastructure and facilities is another major issue. Many universities and research institutions in India lack basic equipment, and researchers often have to rely on outdated technology.
Brain Drain: There is a significant brain drain in India, as many of the best and brightest scientists and researchers leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad.
Education: The quality of education in India needs improvement, especially in the fields of science and technology. This is necessary to produce more competent and skilled scientists and researchers.
Bureaucracy: The bureaucracy in India can be a significant hurdle for scientists and researchers, causing delays in obtaining funding and approvals for research projects.
Political interference: There have been instances where political interference has affected scientific research in India. This can hinder the development of science and technology in the country.
Collaboration: There is a lack of collaboration between researchers and institutions in India. This makes it difficult to share resources, knowledge, and expertise, which could hinder scientific progress.
If we analyze critically, the answers provided by the bot are highly relevant to our current scenario. There is concern regarding the quality of science education in the country. For this also, the bot gave the following concerns,
Poor quality of education: One of the main issues affecting science education in India is the poor quality of education provided in schools and colleges. This includes outdated syllabi, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of qualified teachers.
Limited resources: Many schools and colleges in India lack basic resources such as science laboratories, which are essential for practical learning in science subjects. This can result in students having a limited understanding of scientific concepts.
Inadequate teacher training: Teachers in India often lack adequate training in science subjects, which can hinder their ability to effectively teach science to students.
Gender disparity: There is a significant gender disparity in science education in India, with fewer girls pursuing science subjects compared to boys. This can be attributed to societal stereotypes and a lack of female role models in the field.
Lack of interest: Many students in India do not show a keen interest in science subjects, which can be attributed to a lack of engaging teaching methods, limited career opportunities, and a lack of awareness about the importance of science.
Inequality: There is also an inequality in science education in India, with students from lower socio-economic backgrounds having limited access to quality education and resources.
Emphasis on rote learning: The education system in India places a significant emphasis on rote learning, which can hinder students’ ability to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This can also limit their ability to understand scientific concepts and apply them to real-world situations.
There are several ways in which the quality of scientific research in India can be improved. According to the bot, the quality of scientific research can be improved through the following means,
Increase funding: Increasing funding for research in India can help create more research opportunities. This can include funding for research projects, scholarships, and fellowships.
Encourage collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between Indian researchers and researchers from other countries can help to create more opportunities for Indian researchers to work on international projects and to access resources and expertise that may not be available in India.
Improve infrastructure: Improving the infrastructure and facilities of research institutions and universities can help create more research opportunities. This can include providing access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
Promote entrepreneurship: Promoting entrepreneurship can help to create more opportunities for Indian researchers to commercialize their research and to create new businesses and job opportunities.
Provide training and mentorship: Providing training and mentorship to Indian researchers can help to develop their skills and to provide them with guidance and support throughout their careers.
Address bureaucracy and political interference: Addressing bureaucracy and political interference can help to create a more conducive environment for researchers to conduct their work. This can include simplifying the process of obtaining funding and approvals for research projects and ensuring that politics does not interfere with scientific research.
Provide career development opportunities: Providing career development opportunities such as workshops, conferences, and networking events can help to create more opportunities for Indian researchers to develop their skills, to learn from others in their field, and to establish connections with potential collaborators and employers.
Incidentally, the policy decisions taken by our central Government are in lieu of the points highlighted by the bot.
The response of bot regarding the attitude of supervisors in India towards their research scholars is quite interesting. It has rightly pointed out the correct picture of our supervisors in an impartial manner. According to the bot, the attitude of supervisors in India towards their research scholars can vary depending on various factors such as the supervisor’s personality, work culture, institutional policies, and the research scholar’s performance. However, some general trends can be observed in this regard. In general, supervisors in India tend to be highly respected and hold considerable authority over their research scholars. They are expected to guide and support their scholars in all aspects of their research work, including conceptualizing and designing experiments, analyzing data, and writing publications. Some supervisors may take a more hands-off approach, expecting their scholars to work independently and only providing guidance when requested. Others may be more involved and expect frequent progress updates and regular meetings with their scholars.
However, there have also been reports of supervisors in India exhibiting a lack of professionalism, such as being dismissive of their scholars’ ideas or concerns, being inaccessible or unresponsive, and even engaging in unethical behaviour, such as taking credit for their scholars’ work. Such behaviour can be detrimental to the scholars’ academic progress and well-being.
Human observation can be biased, as it is an innate human quality. However, observations made by AI may be impartial until and unless there is human interference. Our policymakers must take urgent steps to correct the fundamental issues affecting Indian science as we need to build a strong workforce for the future.
( The author is a science communicator and columnist.)
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