INSTITUTIONAL INTENTION:

 

Institutional Intention:

Galgotias University in the explanation on the situations cropped out of a disputable technological display, mentioned on their “Institutional Intention”. It cannot be taken as an inadvertent natural manner of expression, instead depicts the core sets of the philosophical basis of the University.  More than an explanation, the timing used to apply such a phrasing indeed raises a question on the entire   Institutionalism in the education system of the country. In another way, it raises a question on the entire governmental structure and policy approaches in the education and technology development in the country.

 India is a country of ambitions thrown open to the rest of the world. Indian ambitions plunge deep into every technological arena to create a wider space for the highly qualified technical faculties that grow year by year.  Though the Education is a part of the planning in India, in 1976, the subject was transferred from state list to concurrent list  and holds some Institutions of National Importance in the Union List which among others include Indian Institutes of Technology, Information Technology, Engineering Science and technology, Science Education and Research and a few central Universities.  Some of the Institutes are under the Department of Science and Technology and administered by the state Governments.  Private Engineering colleges fall under the directives and regulations of AICTE and UGC would step in to deemed Universities. Accreditation Boards have another role to play.  All these are matters pertaining to regulation and operationalization of Engineering Education in the Country.

The present question of “Institutional Intent” does not find any erroneous interludes in the whole operational process of Institutional Operationalization of Engineering Education. The “Intent” is a question that has to be in tune with the Intent of the Department of Science and Technology. Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology certainly would be a milestone in transforming our Technical Institutions into hubs of Innovative and applicational initiatives. However, our Technocrats are from the same classic school of thought, who received PhDs and DScs following the line of research of the Guides and head of the Departments. It is quite natural that every Programme that is devised by these lineages will have its own drawbacks, who will leave ample space for rusted and mundane faculties to stick on to chairs. The reason for all these failures is the Political system of the country , which takes the least time and care to understand the realities of scientific research and Development. Following the FIST , Anusandhan National research Foundation was created in 2023.

 Again, it would be proper to say that India delves on the mistaken identity between Engineering advancement, Process Development and Technological Development with that of innovative Research and Technological Development. India has achieved substantial Technological advancement and growth. However, the growth and expansion cannot be linked to innovative developments in nascent technologies and their applications. Most of the research is confined to adaptations, modifications, improvements or parallel operational mechanisms. It would cover a wide range of intermediary design and devising which draws a phenomenal volume of patents.  

The state of R&D in the country is narrowed down by the narratives that are enough to blink the eyes of the political leadership depending on the same mouths for their briefings. Advisories are the adversaries. Not even a single person has seen the fag end of the day, who have questioned the credibility of these big bluffs who have scores and scores and publications to their credit. The ill fate is that, the same data, is explained under different heads and slight modification and finds space even in the international publications.

Nothing more needs to be said. What happened in such a programme of National importance in the international stage cannot be explained due to oversight or due to misrepresentation of facts. It is time for our political leadership to draw a line between Academic Research and applicational research for the manufacturing sector.  What has to be done at a doctoral level cannot be thrown open to undergraduate courses. Faculty advancement and improvement do not mean process development. It requires a Philosophy, concept, objective, Utility, space for application and commercial requirement and value, gaps in the existing technological knowhow, design, components and structuring and modelling to begin with.

It is true that students develop brilliant ideas and they may not have the right methodology to develop those into a workable reality. That is where the faculties need to take up matters along the right direction.  Most university departments have a line of approach that is well set by the concerned head of the Departments and the institutions as such. It would be very difficult for any student with an innovative idea to find a space in the Indian situations. Some of the Professors on new posting to the universities used to take along with them their PhD scholars. The same is the case of our Research laboratories, During the Tenure of each of the Director General, a major shift in the themes would not be incidental. So is the case from the Directors down to each departmental head. The sickness of the Indian R&D sector remains unanswered. On paper the presentations are beautiful and they appear great.

But did any Prime Minister of the Country raise a question on why India could not be a forerunner in Frontier Technology development?

A look into the revenue generated from R&D segment will be self-explanatory.  From the Financial Year 2000-’01 to 2004-’05, the Government of India had revenue from R& D segment 921, 736,696,839 and 4068 crores. From 2004 ’05 to 2006-’07 it came down suddenly 104.96, 117.34 and 111.9 crores where as from 2011 –’12 to 2015 16 realization seemed better , 669.75, 725,57, 632,92, 703.22, 8423,38 and revised estimate of 2015-16 was around 930.4 crores. The receipts from R&D showed better prospects in 2022-23 at 3554.84 cr.  Estimates for 2024-25 and 2025 -26 stood at 1272.43 and 2046.27 respectively.

During the 2021 period the production linked Incentive Scheme was introduced and till December 2025, the Government had disbursed 28,748 crores for core sectors. 

Sustainability of the manufacturing segment is the key component of a stable economy in a self-reliant country. Technological self-reliance is the key to economic stability and market strength. The biggest contributor in the and player in the niche carved out by the government for the R&D sector is a well-supported manufacturing segment for global competitiveness. However, the figures of the revenue from the R&D sector do not prove such a vibrant economy. It can be seen from the present budget demands from the R&D governing establishment, the Department of Science and Technology.  It raises the eyebrows a little when the Research and Development is estimated at 48.41 cr.  And R&D invention scheme at 20,000 cr, and Loans for other scientific Research to the same amount as for innovation.

Self Sufficiency in technology is the key to economic growth and diversification. India is still in the process of expansion of the manufacturing segment, which shows the deficit in technological innovations and process design and development.

If not anything, the “Institutional Intent” as projected by Galgotias is a wakeup call to the planners and architects of Scientific and Industrial Research and Development.