Research and Development

Several evaluations of R and D in the CSIR laboratories in the 1970s pointed to the gap between technology development and its application in rural areas and the weak interaction of scientists with external experts and users. There was no attempt to match the mechanisms of technology transfer to the technical and user conditions, to understand the users as systems and to manage technology transfer as an iterative/interactive process. This paper reports a study of the process of R and D management and technology transfer in the CSIR laboratories in recent years focussing on technologies specially being developed for rural areas. It suggests greater involvement of users in technology development and the establishment of a bridge organisation for technology transfer.

Industrialisation and Innovation: The Indian Experience by Nasir Tyabji; Sage Publications,New Delhi, 2000; pp 162, Rs 595.

This paper examines the trends in R and D expenditure in different areas between 1994-95 and 1999-2000 linking this expenditure with the economic importance of the areas. Based on this assessment some suggestions are made for fostering and supporting technological innovation that can lead to accelerated economic growth. A clear policy imperative is that proper measures must be taken to make Indian firms and industries more competitive in a global context. The analysis indicates that agriculture and mainstream industries are the major current drivers of the Indian economy. These are the areas where technology inputs can make India globally more competitive. Bridging the gaps between needs and technology and creating the right conditions for large-scale diffusion of such technologies is one of the great challenges facing Indian R and D.