‘Jai Anusandhan’: PM Modi gives big push to research

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a road map to promote research and innovation in government colleges and universities at the 106th Indian Science Congress.

Emphasising the need to make big strides in the field of science and research, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday added ‘Jai Anusandhan’ to the popular phrase ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan’ .

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during the 106th session of the Indian Science Congress, Thursday, Jan. 03, 2019.(PTI)

The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the 106th Indian Science Congress here, said India needs to emerge among top three economic superpowers and it can happen only through science and innovation.

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“Our former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri gave us the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan . Twenty years ago, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee added ‘Jai Vigyan’ to it after the Pokhran nuclear test. I believe, it is time to take this slogan a step forward and I wish to add ‘Jai Anusandhan’. Let us work for building a new India through science,” said the PM.

The Prime Minister said a strong research ecosystem must be developed in the state universities and colleges. He urged the science, technology and innovation advisory council to formulate an action plan to encourage research and innovation in colleges and universities. “They should involve ministry of human research and development in it,” he said.

Modi said data analysis, artificial intelligence, block-chain etc should be utilised in the agricultural sector, especially to help the farmers with relatively small landholdings. He urged the scientists to work towards ‘ease of living’ for the people, citing scope for innovative steps to tackle drought, disasters, malnutrition, diseases, energy and water crisis, and cyber security. He called for time-bound solutions through research, in these areas.

Speaking on the achievements in the space sector, the PM cited the success of ‘Cartosat-2’ and other satellites. He said preparations are underway for sending three Indians into space, through the ISRO’s ‘Gaganyaan’ in 2022.

Modi said his government has launched the ‘Prime Minister’s Research Fellows’ scheme, under which a 1,000 bright minds from the best institutions in the country will be offered direct admission in PhD programmes in IITs and IISc. The scheme will catalyse quality research and address shortage of faculty in the premier educational institutions, he said.

Modi said India needs new and futuristic roadmap for science and technology interventions. “Government is in the process of improving the quality of education, particularly in the higher education sector. The UGC has brought out great autonomy regulations to give functional and financial autonomy to colleges and universities. We are in the process of setting up institutions of eminence that can compete with the best in the world. Private investment is also being allowed in the higher education,” he said.

Later, the Prime Minister also held discussions with three Nobel Laureates — Avram Hershko (Chemistry 2004) , F Duncan M Haldane (Physics, 2016) and Thomas Christian Südhof (Medicine, 2013).

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