Vice President calls for nurturing talent in science, research

"In order to emerge as an effective knowledge power for the welfare of people, stronger capabilities and a more integrated view of science and technology is required," Ansari said in his inaugural speech at the 8th JK Science Congress.

"Inspiration and creation of role models would be easier if the barriers between teaching and research are lowered if not eliminated altogether by senior and eminent teachers making it a point to teach undergraduate classes," he said.

The challenge in this regard is three fold -- catching young talent inclined to pursue science studies, nurture it, and motivate it sufficiently to remain attached to the domain of science to become the next generation of teachers and researchers.

The Vice President, who is on a five-day tour of Kashmir, said India was spending only 0.9 per cent of the GDP on research and development and plans to increase it to two per cent by the end of the 12th Five-year Plan.

"Many measures have been taken to improve the output of the country in science and technology but our relative position in science world still remains low as is indicated by the number of patents registered," he said. (MORE)