Study on the relative number and cost of EMR schemes in major disciplines of science including engineering

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1 Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research Vol. 63, April 2004, pp Study on the relative number and cost of EMR schemes in major disciplines of science including engineering Kanta Rani*, M Bharathi and Sukumar Mallick HRD Group, CSIR Complex, Library Avenue, Pusa, New Delhi Received: 10 October 2003; accepted: 09 December 2003 About 170 EMR schemes are selected every year in 6 major areas of science including engineering. Five years data show that there is a wide variation in number and percentage of schemes recommended in different disciplines. There is a strong correlation between the number of schemes funded by CSIR in the Physical disciplines (including Engineering, Mathematical, Earth and Environmental ), Biological, and Chemical and proportion of post-graduates that complete their PhD in these areas. More centers of research are needed in the physical in order to produce more of highly trained manpower in these areas. Keywords: Human resource development, Extra mural research schemes, Market forces Introduction Amongst various activities of the Human Resource Development (HRD) group of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), an important activity is funding of research schemes with the scientific faculty of universities, Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs), institutions recognized as deemed Universities for postgraduate education and public and private R & D laboratories registered with the Government of India. The extra mural research (EMR) schemes with small budget allocations play a vital role in the scientific endeavors of meritorious scientists and help them make contributions in their respective fields of specialization. Research grants of CSIR are intended mainly to supplement the research facilities available with the institution with which beneficiary scientists are associated. Funds are provided for equipment and contingencies, as per the essential requirements of the selected projects. This method of funding is an important avenue of HRD by way of training of one or two junior or senior research fellows or research associates where stipends are also provided by CSIR. The research proposals suitable for funding are selected by committee of peers. Such committees also decide about the quantity of funding for the selected projects. Research schemes of applied nature as well as those falling under basic find CSIR support. The aim of present study was to investigate the relative number of research proposals received, found suitable for funding and approved budget estimates for the projects selected for funding in various disciplines such as, Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Earth and Environmental and Engineering Sciences. The analysis provides an idea of relative growth of new knowledge and growth of human resources in the various disciplines being pursued in the country Data Collection and Analysis (a) The data that were about all the proposals received and those accepted for funding for the period have been called from the files of the group. (b) The data about the outturn of postgraduates in (M Sc) and engineering (M Tech) disciplines were taken from the work published earlier 1-3. Results

2 RANI et al.: STUDY ON THE RELATIVE NUMBER AND COST OF EMR SCHEMES 331 Table 1 Number of scheme/project proposals received and accepted for funding during the period of 1998 to 2002 Area of Number of proposals received and funded during the year Total Percentage of proposals a (b) a (b) a (b) a (b) a (b) a (b) recommended Life 130 (59) 151 (61) 161 (71) 116 (45) 130 (50) 688 (286) 42 Chemical 109 (65) 100 (52) 99 (74) 93 (60) 123 (80) 524 (331) 63 Physical 34 (10) 48 (20) 28 (16) 41 (25) 43 (28) 194 (99) 51 Mathematical 9 (7) 12 (6) 8 (6) 12 (9) 13 (9) 54 (37) 69 Engineering 16 (12) 39 (20) 20 (13) 22 (12) 29 (14) 126 (71) 56 Earth and Env 11 (6) 13 (4) 7 (2) 8 (4) 20 (7) 59 (23) 39 Grand Total 309 (159) 363 (163) 323 (182) 292 (155) 358 (188) 1645 (847) 51 (a) Schemes received, (b) Schemes funded (b) The data about the outturn of postgraduates in (M Sc) and engineering (M Tech) disciplines was taken from the work published earlier Average No of Schemes Life Sc Chemistry Physics Maths Engg Sc Earth Sc Discipline Average No of Schemes Considered/Year Average No of Schemes Recommended/Year Figure 1 Average no. of schemes received/recommended during (1) Subject-wise Distribution of Proposals Received and Funded It can be seen from the Table 1 and Figure 1 that during 1998 to 2002, a total of 1645 research grant proposals had been received, processed and placed with the area wise peer committees for their evaluation and recommendation. In all, 847 proposals or 52 per cent of the total received were recommended by the committee for funding. The subject areas can be arranged in the following

3 332 J SCI IND RES VOL 63 APRIL 2004 Table 2 Annual average outturn of postgraduate (M Sc and M Tech) and doctorate (PhD) degree holders and number of research projects in six major disciplines Discipline Average annual outturn of Post- Average number.of M Sc/ M Tech Number of EMR schemes/year graduates during completing PhD per year during during (Table1) Outturn (a) Per cent total Number (b) Per cent outturn (b/a) Number (c) Per cent (c/b) Biological** Chemical Physical Mathematical Engineering Others* Total Mean *includes mainly Earth and Atmospheric ** excludes Medical ascending order in terms of the proposal received: Mathematical (54)<Earth and Environmental (59)<Engineering (126)<Physical (194)<Chemical (524)<Life Sciences (688). The arrangement in terms of per cent proposals accepted was Mathematical (69 per cent)>chemical (63 per cent)> Engineering (56 per cent)> Physical (51 per cent)> Life (42 per cent)> Earth and Environmental (39 per cent). (2) Subject-wise Outturn of Postgraduate and Doctorate Degree Holders The annual rates of outturn of postgraduates during (Table 2) differed widely subject-wise. Of the total of postgraduates outturned annually, about one-third, (33.8 per cent) are in the field of Engineering. The rates for the other disciplines are: Biological 9200 (19.4 per cent), Mathematical, 7800 (16.5 per cent), Chemical, 6200 (13.0 per cent), Physical, 4400 (9.3 per cent) and others including Earth and Environmental, 3800 (8.0 per cent). The annual rate of outturn of PhD degree holders during 1995 to 2000 (Table 2) was 1800 in Biological (41.3 per cent), 1140 in chemical (26.2 per cent), 520 in Physical (12.0 per cent), 355 in Engineering (8.1 per cent), 320 in Mathematical (7.4 per cent) and 220 in Earth and Environment (5.1 per cent). Post-graduate degree (MSc and MTech ) and doctorate degree (PhD) holders get associated with CSIR funded schemes as research fellows and associates, respectively. In the schemes that came in operation between 1998 and 2002 the concerned research associates and fellows would have obtained their PhD or post-graduate degrees before 2002.Many of the research associates attached to the CSIR research projects during1998 to 2002 had obtained their PhD degree between 1995 and 2000.These candidates would have obtained their postgraduate degrees before 1995, say 1990 to 1995.Therefore, we have tried to relate the outturn rates of postgraduates and doctorates of the above mentioned periods with the parameters of the CSIR funded research schemes.

4 RANI et al.: STUDY ON THE RELATIVE NUMBER AND COST OF EMR SCHEMES 333 Table 3 Number of schemes that terminated after completion of their three year tenure in the years 2000 and 2003 and the average expenditure per scheme Subject area Schemes completed in 2000 Schemes completed in 2003 Mean of schemes Number Cost* Number Cost* completed in 2000 & 2003 (Rs in lakhs) per scheme Number Cost* per scheme (Rs in lakhs) per scheme Life Chemical Physical Engineering and Environmental Earth Mathematical Total Mean Table 2 shows that there was considerable variation in the number of subject-wise postgraduates of the period who completed their PhD in The subject areas could be placed in the following descending order in terms of the per cent Postgraduate outturns who completed PhD : Biological (19.6 per cent) > Chemical (18.4 per cent) > Physical (11.8 per cent) > Earth and Environmental (5.8 per cent) > Mathematical (4.1 per cent) > Engineering (2.2 per cent). It can be further observed from Table 2 that average number of PhD outturned between the period 1998 to 2002 in association with the CSIR funded schemes and PhD who got associated with CSIR funded schemes for their postdoctoral work was less varied. On average basis about 3.5 per cent of PhD outturnees or post doctorates were associated with CSIR schemes. The subject area wise variation in this respect was as follows. Chemical (5.8 per cent)> Engineering (3.9 per cent)> Physical (3.8 per cent) > Biological (2.8 per cent)>mathematical (2.2 per cent) and Earth and Environmental (2.3 per cent). Cost Per Scheme All schemes recommended may not actually take off and complete their full tenure, normally of 3 to 4 y. Table 3 summarizes data on actual number of schemes which completed their tenure in the years 2000 and 2003 and average cost of these schemes. About 5 per cent of drop was observed in the number of schemes completed after 3 y of their start, as compared to the number initially sanctioned. It can be noted from the Table 3 that the mean cost of schemes had increased by 22 per cent over 2000 to 2003 period. The schemes in the areas of Earth and Environmental, Life and Chemical had higher cost on account of larger manpower, equipment and consumable grants associated to them (Table 4). Discussion The general idea behind this work was to find out how the CSIR research schemes through which small grants are made to the scientific R & D community of the country help in the human resource development.

5 334 J SCI IND RES VOL 63 APRIL 2004 Table 4 Funding patterns of the schemes in Earth, Life and Mathematical Discipline Scheme No. Equipment grant* Contingency grant* Staff grant* Total grant* Earth Total Mathematical 1 Nil Nil Total Biological ** Nil Total *Rupees in thousands ** Biological Sciences includes Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences only This study has allowed several important observations on the pattern of human resource development in the scientific disciplines being pursued in the country. Significantly one-third of the total post- graduates are in the area of Engineering. Moreover, only 2.2 per cent among them pursued doctoral studies. This may be related to the relative deficiency in emphasis on research in this area as CSIR received during the period only 7.6 per cent of the proposals in this area and this area accounted for only 8.4 per cent of the funded schemes. This feature is also common to Mathematical and Earth and Environmental in some measure. The research in Biological and Chemical is growing in the country since about 20 per cent of the post-graduates take up PhD studies in these areas. Together these fields accounted for over 70 per cent of the research proposals received and funded by CSIR over period. The Physical fall somewhere in between the Engineering and Mathematical on one hand and Biological and Chemical science on the other hand. Apparently, in order to promote highly trained human resources in Physical (including Engineering, Earth and Environment and Mathematical ), there is need for establishment of new research centers in the academic institutions of the country in these areas. The selection and budget of EMR Schemes are recommended by Expert Subject Committees. Analysis of last 5 y data with 1645 projects received and 847 recommended has produced some interesting data In EMR schemes there is no restriction on number of projects sanctioned and ceiling (within limit) on budget in particular discipline. All disciplines are treated at par so far as selection procedures are concerned. The Expert Committees which considers these schemes are also not bound by any number restrictions with respect to project recommended. With this open system in operation the present study indicates that some R & D Market Related Forces are working which are related to these numbers. Quality of the projects is the main driving

6 RANI et al.: STUDY ON THE RELATIVE NUMBER AND COST OF EMR SCHEMES 335 force. For example the out-turn in Mathematical Sciences (Table 2) at MSc level is quite high compared to Physical but number of PhDs and also number of research schemes sanctioned are lower in Mathematics. It is possible that more and more mathematicians are drifting to professional areas like IT rather than coming to R & D because of economic reasons. However percentage of recommended schemes (Table 1) is highest in case of Mathematical Sciences indicating perhaps a better quality. Similarly, the percentage of PhDs in Biological Sciences is quite high (19.56 per cent) but percentage of research schemes recommended is low (2.83 per cent) thereby revealing that though maximum projects are received in this discipline only, yet quality of the projects is not compromised. Are meritorious biologists going somewhere else, (including foreign countries) after doing PhD rather than joining the University R & D Centers? Chemists are better off in terms of more PhDs and research projects. Inter comparing the percentage of research project vis-à-vis the number of PhDs per year, chemists are getting a big share of 5.80 per cent. In view of the present study, we propose a hypothesis that there is a co-relation between the various parameters and market force acting on the system. With no restriction in numbers, the demand-supply market forces would play a role and they will be reflected in some form of data which can be generated by different types of analysis. Further research is suggested with respect to this hypothesis, to find out an empirical relationship. Acknowledgement Auhors acknowledge with thanks Ms Sushila

7 336 J SCI IND RES VOL 63 APRIL 2004 Khilnani, Scientist, HRD Group for giving her valuable suggestions References 1 Kumar Sushil, Sehgal Y P, Khilnani Sushila, Pal A K & Goel A K, An approach for the development of human resources in the field of science and technology in India, J Sci Ind Res, 56 (August 1997) pp Sen Nirupa, Slow pace of engineering education reforms,. Curr Sci,, 84 ( 9) (10 May 2003). 3 Annual technical manpower review (Published by Indian Institute of Applied Manpower Research, New Delhi) *Author for correspondence