GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Science and Technology
Source: IE
Context: India’s progress in the Global Innovation Index is attributed to public and private commitment, emphasizing innovation and entrepreneurship. One of the most important initiatives helping innovation in India is the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs)
What is Atal Tinkering Labs?
An Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is part of the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, and is established in schools across India. The objective of ATLs is to nurture creativity, curiosity, and skills like design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, and physical computing in young minds.
What is the Atal Innovation Mission?
Status of India on Research and Innovation:
- India was ranked 40th position out of 132 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 rankings.
- India’s research and development (R&D) expenditure-GDP ratio is 0.7% only (a world average of 1.8%)
Challenges in India’s R&D Ecosystem:
| Challenges | Description |
| Infrastructure and Access to Resources | Access to reliable electricity, high-speed internet, and other basic amenities can hinder the development and diffusion of innovative technologies across the country |
| Education and Skilled Workforce | According to a Teamlease report, India will need 30 million digitally skilled professionals by 2026, and 50% of the current workforce will need to re-skill themselves in areas of emerging technologies. |
| ‘Leaky pipe syndrome’ | It refers to the phenomenon where, at various stages of the research and academic career pipeline, there is a disproportionate loss of talent, particularly among women and underrepresented groups. |
| 6% of Silicon Valley’s workforce is from India | |
| Market Adoption and Scale-up | The Indian market is diverse and fragmented, making it crucial to address regional variations and cultural differences. |
| Patent protection regime and delay in acquiring patents | According to the Economic Survey 2021-22 of India, the average pendency for the final decision in acquiring patents in India is 42 months as of 2020. This is much higher than 20.8, 20, 15.8 and 15 months respectively for the USA, China, Korea and Japan. |
| Lack of mentorship | E.g., India’s gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education was 27.3 percent in 2020-21 indicating that a substantial portion of students do not pursue higher education. |
| Persisting gender gap | E.g., Women make up only 34% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields. |
How important is community involvement in addressing some of these challenges?
Learning from the success of Amul, a community-based cooperative, highlights the potential for collective efforts to drive innovation. The establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools, engaging over 75 lakh students across 10,000 labs, aims to build a community of young innovators. Initiatives like ATL Sarthi, which clusters labs in regions like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, have shown improved performance through collaborative support. This emphasis on community involvement is particularly vital in rural areas, where 60% of ATLs are located, ensuring that innovative infrastructure remains functional and accessible, especially in areas with shared resources like 3D printers.
What more can be done to improve the innovation ecosystem in India?
| Recommendations | Description |
| 1. Promote Gender Diversity in STEM Fields | Implement policies to encourage girls in STEM education. |
| Offer scholarships for women pursuing STEM e.g., the KIRAN scheme | |
| Establish mentorship programs for women in research. | |
| 2. Enhance Research Infrastructure | Upgrade research facilities and equipment. |
| Foster research collaborations with global institutions. | |
| 3. Foster Diversity and Inclusion | Implement training programs on diversity and inclusion. |
| Promote an inclusive culture with zero tolerance for discrimination. | |
| 4. Facilitate Research-Industry Partnerships | Promote collaborations between research institutions and industries. |
| Translate research findings into practical applications. | |
| 5. Empower ATL Clusters | Expand the ATL Sarthi initiative to more schools. |
| Ensure effective support and utilization within clusters. | |
| 6. Foster Ownership and Participation | Encourage schools and local communities to take active ownership of ATLs. |
| 7. Balance Urban-Rural Support | Provide equal operational support for rural ATLs. |
| Facilitate shared resources and mentorship. | |
| 8. Sustain Engagement and Improvement | Implement regular evaluation and mentorship. |
| Replicate the success of the ATL Sarthi model for high performance and engagement. |
Recently government introduced the National Research Foundation Bill 2023 to set up NRF in order to give impetus to the research ecosystem in India.
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Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as our business operations, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment. (UPSC 2014)
