Govt plans SPV to bridge science-industry gap
With funding from Department of Science & Technology (DST), special purpose vehicle will come up as PPP model and also look after smooth and seamless implementation of Scientific RI Sharing Maintenance and Networks (SRIMAN)
Research Infrastructure
- SRIMAN guidelines are adopted
- Recurring maintenance of RI is a costly affair
- Facilitates wider access of RI to scientists, researchers and industry professionals
- Indian research ecosystem is 94% dependent on imported instruments
New Delhi: To improve the science-industry interface, the government has decided to set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) or agency. This body may be created either in the Department of Science & Technology or within an institution of good standing funded by the DST. It can even be in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, official sources told Bizz Buzz.
The government is of the view that funding agencies, policy makers, and scientists must adopt a new approach that can make research infrastructure (RI) available to all stakeholders. For a country like India, it becomes important that the Scientific RI Sharing Maintenance and Networks (SRIMAN) guidelines are adopted. These can promote efficient utilization and wider access of RI to scientists, researchers, and industry professionals across the country by creating a network of relevant stakeholders.
Adoption of SRIMAN guidelines will transform scientific instruments in government labs into lucrative assets, generating a steady rental income and thus enable an efficient and sustainable sharing, maintenance and disposal mechanism of RI, officials said.
This SPV will look after the smooth and seamless implementation of SRIMAN and will develop suitable guidelines from time to time taking due cognizance of current economic and scientific changes in the country. It will further have an advisory committee/board comprising diverse stakeholders including DST and other scientific departments.
While India acquires research equipment, development and recurring maintenance of RI is a costly affair. It needs to be mentioned here that the Indian research ecosystem is highly dependent on imported instruments—to the extent of 94 per cent (2013 figures).
At present, most equipment is not shared. It also suffers because of lack of proper maintenance and spares, which increases the RI costs. Besides, access to equipment and its proper utilization also needs attention. Therefore, development of a sharing mechanism and promotion of a culture of collaboration between institutions and other stakeholders would enable optimum utilization and better maintenance of RI, officials said.
The proposed SPV will make publicly-funded scientific RI available as a valuable public resource by providing better access and sharing for extensive and optimal use of the community.
It will also promote indigenization of scientific research equipment manufacturing and encourage domestic manufacturers. It will also be mandated to improve efficiency of public expenditure by sharing expensive and state-of-the-art publicly-funded RI.
The SPV will develop monitoring mechanisms for the creation and maintenance of RI to avoid unnecessary duplication in purchase of expensive scientific equipment thereby minimizing the cost of research. It will also ensure simplified and smarter ways of procurement, maintenance and disposal of scientific RI.
