Dearth in Scientists

Higher studies have become one very important aspect in today’s competitive world. Having a higher degree not only gives one the edge over others, it helps one grow into a more complete personality professionally. In engineering as well, things are no different. India holds strong reverence among the international community when it comes to producing quality graduates in the engineering arena. IIT’s undoubtedly are the key to this image, along with a number of other NIT’s and private colleges, which have over long time shelled out individuals who have proved their worth in the international market. But what happens to the Indian quality of education when it comes to going a step further? Why do students still wish to go abroad to countries like United States for their Masters?

The answer is simple. Undergraduate education provides an overall picture of basic technology, and exposes students to a variety of topics in a span of four years. Post-graduation on the other hand, involves the student to clearly define an area of interest and then delve into research activities. It expects the student to be aware of the fundamentals, and then start attacking some of the problems in the area. Though Indian education stands up in providing basic education and exposure, research-oriented studies are not much on the ground. As one progresses on the ladder of education, research becomes prominent with every step. And with this, comes the requirement of modern facilities and infrastructure to be able to support research and development in educational institutions. Indian institutions of higher education lack competitiveness in this context, rendering students to go to foreign countries to pursue further education. The exposure that a student gets in the foreign education system is remarkable, which is always a boon for a career to take-off.

In a recent IBN-CNN report, the number of students opting for careers in the science stream is in a state of low. The number of PhDs India produces a year is 4,500, which is dismally low as compared to China’s 20,000. Certainly, reasons like engineering jobs being less lucrative and also the higher degree of competition in the field are acceptable for such a performance of the Indian research community. But something that doesn’t seem to be paid heed to is the fact that deluge of Indian science and engineering students are running to foreign countries to complete their research degrees. As a result, they end up researching for that country, and earning much higher salaries as compared to what one gets in India. The bottom-line: India falls short of the expected numbers to sustain its development.

There is no simple solution to the problem of shortage of research work and scientists. The research facilities in India would have to be improved, along with making it a well-paid job. Money has to be pumped into the industry, since a lot of a country’s development depends on the amount of research carried on. Students need to be made aware of the fact that there is a lot of scope for research in India, which would eventually direct them to take up such careers. Again, hopes lie on the IIT’s, which could form the first-stage for such a reform and leave a trail for other institutes to follow.