A recent report analysing 244 public-funded research and development institutions in India reveals a troubling trend

Key Findings of the Report

• Fewer New Hires: There were also fewer institutions hiring permanent staff in 2022–23. Instead, the hiring gap was filled by short-term contractual appointments.
• Staff Composition in 2022–23: These institutions had 19,625 contractual staff
  and 12,042 permanent staff. 
  • This marks a 14% increase in contractual staff over 2021–22, raising concerns as contractual workers now outnumber permanent staff in scientific institutions.
• Source of Data: The data is from a study commissioned by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser.
• Sectoral Exclusion:  Importantly, it does not cover ‘strategic sectors’ such as defence, atomic energy, and space , sectors that consume the majority of India’s R&D expenditure.

Vacancies in Strategic Research Institutions

• TIFR: A Parliamentary Standing Committee report tabled last month highlighted that at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) — a premier institute funded by the Department of Atomic Energy — nearly 3 in 5 scientific posts remain vacant.
• Atomic Sector: The report also noted that on average, 1 in 4 posts sanctioned at atomic energy research institutions and nuclear power plants is vacant, pointing to a systemic issue in recruitment.

Way Forward

• Technological Missions: India is witnessing a surge in ambitious technological missions, with the government rolling out plans to:
  • Develop quantum computers
  • Create foundational artificial intelligence (AI) models
  • Align research and development (R&D) with industry-specific goals
  • These initiatives underscore a bold vision for technological leadership. However, the ground realities raise critical concerns.
• Scientific Manpower: No matter how advanced the mission, technological success hinges on human capital. 
  • These programmes require a steady pipeline of committed researchers, particularly young scientists engaged full-time in institutions conducting cutting-edge research.
• Past Interventions: Recognising the need to build scientific capacity, the government previously established the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs)
  and Introduced four-year undergraduate programmes in basic sciences. 
  • These measures were designed to incentivise promising students to pursue long-term scientific careers within India.

Conclusion

To translate these investments into lasting impact, India must build an enabling ecosystem that ensures respectable salaries for researchers, sustained and adequate funding, and access to modern scientific infrastructure and equipment, as without these foundational conditions, even the most ambitious scientific missions are unlikely to deliver meaningful outcomes.

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