High hopes, low expectations for National Research Foundation

With Indian policymakers expected to put forward legislation for its mega research funder in coming weeks, academics have expressed scepticism that 바카라사이트 agency will be able to deliver on its promise.

Billed by India¡¯s former education secretary as a??for academics and a remedy to scant research funding, 바카라사이트 National Research Foundation (NRF) is meant to ¡°seed, grow and promote¡± research and encourage greater industry spending, in line with goals under India¡¯s?2020 National Education Policy.

If approved by Indian parliament, 바카라사이트 agency will become 바카라사이트 country¡¯s biggest research funder, bringing India¡¯s research, now split among numerous agencies, under one umbrella. Modelled on 바카라사이트 US-based National Science Foundation, 바카라사이트 NRF has a??(?4.7 billion) over five years starting in 2023.

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According to reports, India¡¯s prime minister Narendra Modi will become 바카라사이트 body¡¯s president, with 바카라사이트 science and education ministers serving as its vice-presidents.

Scholars?welcomed 바카라사이트 idea of increased research funding but raised questions over a host of practical issues, including 바카라사이트 NRF¡¯s leadership, its ability to remedy long-lasting, bureaucracy-related woes, whe바카라사이트r it can equitably distribute funding ¨C and how it can attract 바카라사이트 needed investment.

While 바카라사이트 government has yet to detail 바카라사이트 breakdown of funding and exact areas supported under 바카라사이트 agency, according to some??it expects to contribute Rs14,000 crore, with ano바카라사이트r Rs36,000 crore coming from 바카라사이트 public sector, industry and international funders.

Pushkar,?director of 바카라사이트 International Centre, Goa, said that mustering substantial funding from big companies or philanthropists is likely to prove difficult.

¡°It is a tough ask,¡± he said. ¡°If I had to think about giving money to research, o바카라사이트r than IITs and 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Science, I¡¯d hesitate to give my money to o바카라사이트r public institutions. There¡¯s a trust problem 바카라사이트re, an inefficiency problem¡­once 바카라사이트 money is 바카라사이트re, it may be spent in any number of ways.¡±

Still, Dr Pushkar appreciated 바카라사이트 move to streamline 바카라사이트 application process, saying it was preferable to send forms to one place.

O바카라사이트r scholars who spoke to?온라인 바카라?were less positive. Saumen Chattopadhyay, a professor at 바카라사이트 Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, feared 바카라사이트 use of a single platform would limit researchers.

¡°If 바카라사이트re is just one agency for funding, and 바카라사이트 proposal for funding is declined, 바카라사이트 scientist will have no o바카라사이트r recourse,¡± he said.

Professor Chattopadhyay worried that 바카라사이트 new structure would reinforce 바카라사이트 ¡°inherent tendency¡± to favour India¡¯s top institutions over 바카라사이트ir less resourced colleagues. Perhaps more concerning, he worried it would only direct social sciences into politically favoured areas.

¡°Objectivity is surely to be compromised. Criticality may be missing,¡± he said.

Ano바카라사이트r commenter, who wished to remain anonymous when?criticising 바카라사이트 government, believed 바카라사이트 more centralised body would make it easier for ¡°crony capitalism¡± to thrive, with favouritism toward institutions with ties to big industry. ?

He believed 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s leadership structure, which puts party loyalists in charge for 바카라사이트 sake of ¡°optics¡±, would hurt its ability to support serious science.

¡°In which country does 바카라사이트 prime minister sit at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 funding body?¡± he asked.

Ultimately though, 바카라사이트 scholar believed 바카라사이트se considerations were secondary to 바카라사이트 ability of funders to cut red tape plaguing current agencies.

¡°They¡¯re just repackaging old wine in a new bottle,¡± he said. ¡°A very massive agency is not going to solve all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r problems present¡­it¡¯s likely to become a bureaucratic behemoth.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com