Annual Report 2006-2007

National Science And Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS)

National Science & Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) division deals with generation of crucial information systems by conducting surveys, studies and statistical analysis of specific categories of S&T Manpower, infrastructure, investment , databases on R&D resources, projects, institutions, experts and R&D management and policy issues.

The NSTMIS division has been conducting biennially national surveys since 1973-74, based on which the various national level in-house reports/publications are brought out regularly which includes Research and Development Statistics, Research and Development in Industry, S&T Data Book, Directory of R&D Institutions and Directory of Extramural R&D Projects of Central Government S&T Department/Agencies.

The results of these studies are being disseminated to planners, policy makers educationists and members of S&T community. Besides, these studies have paved the way by offering methodology to plan macro studies if adequate financial and infrastructure support is provided.

The process of Globalisation, Liberalization and Privatization(GLP) has thrown up new challenges and opportunities for national economy in general and for Science & Technology(S&T) in particular resulting in the emergence of new knowledge based economy. To keep pace with the changing S&T scenario, various new activities have been envisaged by the National Science & Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) Division which includes the following:

• National Survey on estimation of R&D activities in Small Scale Industrial Sector (SSIs) and Higher Education Sector to bridge the data gap for the national R&D figures. S&T manpower requirement studies in Institutions and Industries in emerging S&T disciplines.
• Innovation Studies in Industrial Sector, Need based innovations, Organisational innovations, Rural innovations etc.
• Development of National level databases in selected S&T sectors like; R&D output leading to commercialization, outcome of extramural sponsored research projects, Science Manpower, Scientific Equipment & Instruments etc.
• National level study on commercialization of patents.
• Development of S&T indicators in the new knowledge economy namely in the areas like. Information and Communication Technology(ICT), Bio-Technology, Drugs & pharmaceutical, Services Sector etc.
• Development of on-line access for national level publications like; R&D Statistics, S&T Data Book etc. as a part of NSTMIS web page and also by making CD-ROM's.

Achievements of NSTMIS during 2006-2007

The National Science & Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) division continued its efforts of generating and making available information on resources both manpower as well as financial devoted to scientific and technological (S&T) activities by conducting national surveys both through inhouse as well as sponsored studies.

(i) S&T Resources Studies

The report based on two national surveys 2000-01 & 2002-03 titled 'Research and Development Statistics 2004-2005' fifteenth in the series was brought out during the year. In this report, the scope and the coverage of the R&D activities has been enlarged substantially by including the expenditure incurred on R&D in (i) Higher Education Sector (ii) Small Scale Industry (SSI) Sector; and (iii) Industries other than those recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

The salient features of these surveys are that the national investment on R&D activities attained a level of Rs.18000.16 crores in 2002-03 which was 0.80% of Gross National Product (GNP). The major share of R&D expenditure was met from Central Government sources (62.0%). State Governments share in R&D expenditure being 8.5%, Higher Education 4.2%, Public Sector Industries 5.0% and the remaining 20.3% being met from the Private Sector Industries. Nearly 2.96 lakhs personnel were employed in the R&D establishments. The publication also provides detailed information collected from secondary sources on patents, enrolment, out-turn, stock of S&T personnel, stock of scientists, engineers, technicians for selected countries, and R&D expenditure per capita etc.

The national survey for the year 2005-06 was launched in September, 2006. For online submission of the data, E-questionnaires were also made available to the data providers. The scope and coverage of the R&D activities has been further enlarged by adding about 200 multinational companies performing R&D activities in India. Filled-in questionnaires are being received from various organisations.

(ii) Information System/Database Activities

With a view to disseminate information on research and development (R&D) projects for the benefit of different interest groups, the National Science and Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) division of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) continued its effort to compile information on extramural R&D projects funded by different central agencies. Besides maintaining a computerised database on extramural R&D projects from 1985-86 onwards, the department publishes annually a directory of extramural research and development projects funded during the year. The two directories for the years 2003-04 and 2004-05 were brought out during the year.

The directory for the year 2004-05, fifteenth in the series, contains information on 2749 new R&D projects approved by 21 central government departments/agencies. The total approved cost of these projects was Rs.570.5 crores. Projects in the Engineering & Technology area received maximum financial support (26.91%). Next to this, comes Medical Sciences (22.19%) and Biological Sciences (11.09%) and together these received about 60% of the total R&D support. Fifty five percent (55%) of the total support was given to the academic sector comprising of universities, deemed universities and institutes of national importance. The National Laboratories under government received 31% of the total financial support. Among the funding agencies, the extramural R&D support by Department of Science & Technology (DST) was the highest with Rs.251.85 crores.

In order to help Scientific Community for approaching the appropriate department/agency for submitting project proposals in their areas of interest the division brought out a compendium giving information on various R&D funding schemes of Central Government departments/agencies. The compendium provides information on the objectives of the scheme, who can submit the proposal, when and how to submit a proposal, areas of research support, components of grant, items not allowed out of grant, mechanism of implementation and monitoring, contact address including telephone numbers, fax, email and website.

(iii) Sponsored Studies

Scientific and technological research needs huge investments and calls for a judicious utilization of scarce resources like investment, trained manpower, raw materials etc. The growth of science and technology, its performance and impact on society and economy are indicators to assess the effectiveness of planning and policy formulation. For this purpose it is necessary to build science and technology information on a continuous basis. The National Science and Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) division is entrusted with the task of collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of vital S&T information at a national level.

A number of studies were sponsored to build reasonable database/analyses on S&T investment, S&T manpower availability/deployment/gap and S&T indicators.

The following projects were completed:

i) Database of R&D Institutions by broad Research Areas and Extramural Research Projects in Maharashtra

ii) Study on guidelines for measuring success or failure of research projects

iii) Preparation of Database on Homeopathic System of Medicines in India

iv) R&D in India - A prospects and Viability study

v) Study of R&D and Innovation Activity of Firms in India

vi) Study of Assessment of waste & pattern of Occupational Hazards in Plastic Industry

(iv) International Collaboration

The Department has actively participated and contributed in the development and revision of standards/ concepts/definitions used for collection of Science Statistics and development of Science & Technology Indicators in UNESCO and OECD meetings. The department also provided information for the country on Science & Technology indicators to UNESCO for their publication titled "UNESCO Statistical year book".