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DOES NOBEL GROW ON TREES?

While broadcasting a speech, the Prime Minister addressed the nation that

money does not grow on trees. It appears that this is a favourite phrase used by our

Prime Minister. In fact, on an earlier occasion, he said in the same language when a

delegation from Odisha approached him for more grants.

Now perhaps the Prime Minister has got a unique opportunity to pose a question

in a similar vein, Does Nobel Grow on trees? The centenary session of the Science

Congress was held at Kolkata in the first week of January 2013, which attracted huge

attention because of the august presence of the President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime

Minister Man Mohan Singh as its Chief Guest and General President respectively. A

remarkable observation in that session was that of the President, when he expressed

concern that a Nobel Prize in Indian science was long overdue. This should not be

taken lightly for the simple reason that the only Indian to have received a Nobel Prize in

science is the physicist C. V. Raman in the year 1930, that too under British India.

Since then nobody has won a Nobel in any branch of Science (or in any other category)

for his / her work in India . This is considered as disgraceful to all concerned of

independent India. Indeed this is a natural ignominy which cannot be brushed aside.

This need to be discussed with all the seriousness it deserves.

It is estimated that in the year 2011, the number of Indian students graduated is

14,617,000 out of which only 12 per cent opted for P.G. Courses. Among these, the

percentage of research in our country dwindled to merely one percent. This is a painful

picture definitely. However, this does not prove beyond doubt that Indian students are

not research oriented. In fact, most of the students, who had a desire for research, went

abroad. In 2011 alone, 1,03,895 Indian students went to US for M.Sc./ Ph.D. Degree,

which is 14 percent of the higher education of U.S.A. . the matter for concern is that

India, being at present an economy of trillion dollar, has failed miserably to retain its

students. It is alarming to note that western countries are in a position to attract our

young and ambitious people. In fact, India, being a booming economy of the world,

should have attracted by this time immigrant-scientists from at least developing

countries, if not the West. But the picture is very bleak and disappointing. The data

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provided by the National Bureau of Economic Research of US1 shows that Switzerland

leads the list, followed by US in the matter of immigrant-scientist. India is nowhere in

the picture. On the other hand, it is suffering from severe brain drain and is bereft of its

own budding talented scientists. Patriotism cannot prevent them from their strong desire

to pursue knowledge which has universal appeal.

One of the reasons for this pathetic situation is the paucity of funds. The Prime

Minister and President may speak volumes keeping in mind they are talking to an

audience of scientists and researchers in the Science Congress. But the ground reality is

that the Government hardly cares to espouse the cause of R & D in science. In the 12 th

Five Year Plan period it has been proposed to allot six percent of the GDP for educationactivities. But if we look at the expenditure of higher education during the year 2009-

2010, it is a mere 1.25 of the GDP2. When we compare this figure with that of US , we

note that in the year 2007, it was 3.1% of the GDP , which is of course huge being 15

trillion dollars. Further, we find that in 2010, whereas 29,768 were patent-applicants

filed by foreigners , the domestic patent-application is merely 7044 in India. What is

more disturbing is that out of 7044 applications only 1725 were found fit for patents !

The poor quality of Government policy is aptly reflected in our scientist

population as well. Whereas in the US it 21.5, in India it is an abysmal 7.8 per

thousand. It is to be noted that Korea, an Asian country not far away from us, has this

figure at 53.13 and has far exceeded even US. In fact, Korea, even if much smaller in

size, should have inspired us to move fast. But we have confined ourselves to mere

rhetoric. While speaking to a community of researchers we speak in a voice only to

soothe their irate sentiments.

The much awaited Centenary Science Congress has the theme, Shaping the

Future of India, with the policy document Science, Technology and Innovation. In

this context, we quote Sumit Bhaduri, Professor, IIT Bombay , Innovation essentially

means good, new ideas that lead to socio-economic benefits for society as a whole.

Science based innovations work mainly through civilian technologies where new

1(http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/the-global-brain-trade)2(Report: Higher Education at a Glance, University Grants Commission, The Hindu,

19/01/2013)

http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/the-global-brain-tradehttp://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/the-global-brain-trade

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products and new processes deliver economic benefits. They also work through the

spread of scientific temper in the class rooms.

This clearly shows that there is no short-cut way for success if we follow the

path of Innovations. We have to engross ourselves in ideas which are very abstract.

Among these ideas it is quite possible that 99.99% will go up in smoke and there will

be no tangible results. It is quite like writing on a water surface which is even more

impermanent than writing on sand. After all, will the bureaucracy tolerate this?

Assuming that only one idea in 10,000 will succeed it is not possible to yield profit

immediately. It may have a large gestation period, certainly more than 5 years. Under

these circumstances, no government is likely to take a risk as it has to prove its worthwithin a span of its normal period of 5 years. Of course, in the long run there is an

invaluable gain of the spread of scientific temper, not only among the students but the

society at large. But our governments, with short term outcomes, will not care a fig for

this. On the other hand they will try wholeheartedly to implement Food Security Bill

and Direct Cash Transfer Programme which are highly lucrative for vote bank politics

and a sure success approach to beat incumbency in power politics. With this objective

in view , it is highly incomprehensible , how one can hope for Nobel Prize. Perhaps, it

would have been nice if the Prime Minister had hinted at the President , Does Nobel

grow on trees?.

Nikhilanand Panigrahy

Mobile: 9473026651

Address (Retd.) Director,Orissa State Bureau of Text Book

Preparation and Production

Badakhemundi Bunglow

Utkal Ashram Road, Berhampur- 760001

E-mail: nikhilanand.panigrahy@gmail.com