Science and Technology in Modern age

Science and Technology in the Modern Age In India

                                                In the modern Age of science and technology the important of science education and training of scientific personnel has been receiving the foremost attention all over the world for the last 3-4 decades. In a less developed country like ours, the question assumes even greater importance as our material progress as well as national security are intimately related to the number of well trained scientists available and their capacity to Landle efficiently the multifarious problems which face the country.  

                         In spite a the rapid progress mode in our country since 1947 , it cannot be denied that the gap between the technology advanced countries and ours has been widening further . India is one of the countries and ours has been the cradle of an ancient civilization and prominent nameslike Aryabhatt , Varahaminir , Bhaskaracharaya , Nagarjun ,Ramanuj, Patanjali, Chark,and Shushrut come immediately to mind as leaders of scientific thought in the world of their times. However, there appears to be a dark period from about the 13th century. Unfortunately during the period of 18th and 19th centuries when the west was able to build up a strong scientific and technological base as a result of Industrial revolution and scientific researches , nation remained deprived of the benefits of the new scientific development under the shackles of a foreign rule.

  

Modern scientific researches appears to have been imitated in India in the 1920's . The individual efforts of a few dedicated scientists like Mahendra Lal Sircar, Shrinivas Ramanujan, Jagdis Chandra Bose , Chandrashekhar Venkata Raman . Prafulla Chandra ray Meghnanand Saha , Birbal Sahani Sisir Kumar mitra , Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar , Karyamanikan Shrinivas Krishan and Homi Jahangir Bhabha put India on the scientific map of the world and their personal contribution can certainly be compare with those of their contemporaries in any part of the world. However, these were isolated examples. The country as a whole , remained educationally and scientifically very backward fill the emergence of independenence in 1947 .Not only was there initially a big gap to be bridged , but the developed countries in their Science and technology at a tremendous pace, thus enhancing the gap even further.

                           A glaring features of the world today is its division into two blocks-one , represented by 400 million people in Europe and North America, has a per capita annual income more than Rs 10000, where as the other , with more than a billion people in Asia , Africa and south America; has a per capita income of less than Rs1000. In addition to investing productively about 10% of its income. i.e about Rs 1000 a year per head in advancing their technology to create more wealth . The West its thus saving and is able to invest more than the East is spending on all its needs. It is no wonder that the gap in Wealth between the two blocks is steadily widening. 

                           Ours is a vast country and it should enhance every aspect of science operating at all levels. In order not to be a back- bencher in the competitive world of today and not be a caught unprepared when apparently basic and fundamental science of today makes a revolutionary breakthrough in practical application, we have to nurture such fields including the so- called "Big Science" requiring heavy inputs.

The 8 years outline plan has laid down all- around tasks of researches in 27 sectors including natural resources, agriculture , industry , military technology, transport and communications, oceanography, medicine and education. 108 items have been chosen as key protects in this nationwide endeavour , but the following spheres have received maximum attention in the new plan.

1. Agriculture

2. Industrial Sources

3.Materials
4.Computer Technology

5. Laser Science

 6.Space Science

7.Heat Energy Physics and
8. Genetic Engineering

In the above account of " science and technology in India in the coming Decades" , I have deliberately avoided a number of controversial issues regarding the directions which should be adopted for an optimum growth of science and technology in India during the coming Decades.

• A few of these issues relate to very important decisions such as :-

1. Import of Technology vs. Development or our own know  how.
2. High technology vs Intermediate Technology.
3. Capital intensive technology vs labour intensive technology
4. The role of public sector vs private sector .
5. The question of appropriate or relevant technology.

            In such a situation , no task is more urgent , no imperative is more categorical than the restructuring of our scientific and technological priorities to ensure a balanced growth of the country . Lets us hope that we rise to the country. Let us hope that we rise to the occasion and do not believe the expectation of our country . Men who have great faith in us.

Thank you for reading my blog .