Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Quick fix: On India’s Research Development and Innovation scheme

​Quick fix: On India’s Research Development and Innovation scheme

Budgetary allowances alone won’t solve India’s R&D problem

The Union Cabinet recently approved a ₹1-lakh crore Research Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme that aims to incentivise (प्रोत्साहित करना, प्रलोभन देना) the private sector to invest in basic research. The scheme will primarily (मुख्यतः) consist of a special purpose fund established (स्थापित करना) within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which will act as the custodian (संरक्षक) of funds. The funds will be in the form of low-interest loans. The ANRF is conceived (कल्पना करना, विचार करना) as an independent institutional body, with oversight (निगरानी) by the Science Ministry, to allocate funds for basic research and to incentivise private sector participation (भागीदारी) in core research. The involvement of the ANRF here is a novel move (कदम, कार्यवाही) as the newly created organisation is meant to be the equivalent of a single-window clearance mechanism (तंत्र, प्रक्रिया) for funding research and development for universities and academic institutions. It is also expected to get about 70% of its budget from private sources. In sum (संक्षेप में, कुल मिलाकर), through the RDI and the ANRF, the government is looking to stake the bold claim that it has played its part and that it is now up to (the responsibility of someone; the choice of someone) the private sector to come forward (आगे आना, स्वयं को प्रस्तुत करना) and reverse (उलट देना, पलटना) the ratio (अनुपात) from where the government today accounts for about 70% of India’s R&D spend (खर्च, व्यय). However, already incipient (just beginning, initial, elementary, emergent, emerging, nascent, rising, developing, budding) in the government’s tall (big, large, huge, lofty) ambitions are traces of what has caused previous such schemes to falter (to lose intensity or strength, especially gradually; hesitate, be undecided, waver, vacillate, fluctuate, be irresolute, show weakness, shrink). The first of these is conservatism (a political and social philosophy that emphasizes tradition, stability, and the value of established institutions. It seeks to preserve existing conditions and resist rapid change, often advocating for a limited role of government in economic affairs and a strong emphasis on individual responsibility).

It turns out (transpire, emerge, evolve, develop, happen/occur, come about) that a condition for availing (use, utilize, employ, make use of, take advantage of) funds is that only products that have reached a certain level of development (progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth) and market potential (a business’s estimated potential to make money. It aims to quantify how much demand exists for a product or service) or, what are called Technology Readiness Level-4 (TRL-4) projects, would be eligible. There are nine TRL levels, a hierarchy (pecking order, ranking, class system; arrangement, classification) that was first conceived by the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958. NASA, as agency of the Unite States government, has “the mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.” Therefore, NASA concentrates its efforts in two main areas, namely: space exploration and civilian and military aerospace research) in the 1970s. TRL-1 represents a basic level of research and TRL-9 a state of advanced readiness. TRL-4 appears to be an arbitrary (capricious, personal (whim/choice), capricious, whimsical, random, erratic, unreasonable, irrational, illogical, groundless, unjustifiable, discretionary, subjective) decision to support any promising (good, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, positive, heartening, reassuring) research that has progressed halfway (in the middle; in the centre; to some extent/degree; to a certain extent/degree; comparatively, relatively, somewhat). Were there such a magic sauce (a secret idea/plan; a method, strategy, or ingredient that makes something successful or distinctive), venture capital (a sum of money investors commit for investment in early-stage companies) industries, premised on (be based on a particular idea/belief) the fickleness (continuous change, changeability, variability, inconstancy, instability, unsteadiness, unpredictability, irregularity, unreliability, fluctuation, oscillation) of predicting the ‘next big thing’, would not exist. The scheme also seems to forget that technologically advanced countries have become what they are because of their military industrial complexes — where the spectre (threat, menace, danger/peril) of war incentivises the development of technology that is risky and expensive but, over time (if something happens over time, it happens gradually during a long period), may prove to be of immense civilian (non-military person, ordinary citizen) value — examples are the Internet or the Global Positioning System (GPS is a (navigation) system. It’s made up of three parts: satellites, ground stations, and receivers. The technology can pinpoint longitude, latitude, ground speed, and course direction of the target somewhere in the world). India continues to haemorrhage (lose a lot of something valuable in a seemingly uncontrollable way) scientists to the West (The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America) due to the lack (absence, unavailability, insufficiency, shortage) of opportunities commensurate (equivalent, equal, corresponding, comparable, proportionate, proportional; in line with, consistent with, in accordance with) with their training. Finally, it lacks (be without, be short of, not have enough of, be deficient of) a deeply skilled manufacturing sector that can make the products that scientists conceive (envisage, imagine, envision, think, perceive, apprehend) of. Budgetary allowances cannot overnight (instantly, promptly, immediately, suddenly, quickly; swiftly, expeditiously) fix that which requires major surgery.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.incentivise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रोत्साहित करना, प्रलोभन देना
English Meaning - encourage, motivate, galvanize.

2.primarily (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - मुख्यतः
English Meaning - mainly, largely, completely, entirely, wholly.

3.establish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थापित करना
English Meaning - start/begin, form, create, institute, organize.

4.custodian (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संरक्षक
English Meaning - protector, guardian, champion, defender.

5.conceive (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कल्पना करना, विचार करना
English Meaning - form, create, originate, develop, draw up, come up with.

6.oversight (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निगरानी
English Meaning - supervision, surveillance, inspection, management, handling.

7.participation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भागीदारी
English Meaning - contribution, engagement, involvement, taking part.

8.move (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदम, कार्यवाही
English Meaning - activity, step, measure.

9.mechanism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तंत्र, प्रक्रिया
English Meaning - system, procedure, process, method/technique.

10.In sum (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - संक्षेप में, कुल मिलाकर
English Meaning - in short, briefly, in essence, in a nutshell.

11.stake claim (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - हिस्सेदारी का दावा, अधिकार जताना
English Meaning - establish, assert, proclaim, declare (one’s right to something).

12.come forward (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - आगे आना, स्वयं को प्रस्तुत करना
English Meaning - step forward, volunteer, make oneself available.

13.reverse (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उलट देना, पलटना
English Meaning - change, alter.

14.ratio (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुपात
English Meaning - proportion, percentage.

15.spend (noun)

Hindi Meaning - खर्च, व्यय
English Meaning - spending, expenditure.

16.quick fix (noun)

English Meaning - (simple) remedy, resolution, solution, panacea, antidote, silver bullet.

17.Research Development and Innovation scheme (noun)

English Meaning - it is expected to boost India’s research and deep-tech investment landscape significantly. With India currently spending just 0.64% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on Research and Development (R&D), far below the 2–5% allocation by countries such as the United States (US), Japan, and China, the new fund is seen as a strategic intervention. The RDI Scheme will have a two-tiered funding mechanism. At the first level, there will be a Special Purpose Fund (SPF) established within the ANRF, which will act as the custodian of funds. From the SPF, funds shall be allocated to a variety of second level fund managers. This will be mainly in the form of long-term concessional loans. The funding to R&D projects by the second level fund managers would normally be in the form of long-term loan at low or nil interest rates.

18.Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) (noun)

English Meaning - It is conceived as an independent institutional body overseen by the science ministry to allocate funds for basic research and to incentivise private sector participation in core research. It is established through an Act of Parliament: ANRF Act, 2023, to provide high-level strategic directions for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in various fields. It has been established to promote research and development and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions, and R&D laboratories. ANRF acts as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy. ANRF forges collaborations among the industry, academia, research institutions and government departments.

19.novel (adjective)

English Meaning - new, unusual, unfamiliar, different.

20.single-window clearance (noun)

English Meaning - A Single Window Clearance, also known as a Single Window System, refers to a centralized online portal or platform that streamlines the process of obtaining various business approvals and clearances from different government departments or agencies

21.play a role or play a part (phrase)

English Meaning - have a part in, be involved in, be a factor in, contribute to, be instrumental in.

22.up to (phrase)

English Meaning - the responsibility of someone; the choice of someone.

23.account for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - constitute, make up, comprise, form.

24.incipient (adjective)

English Meaning - just beginning, initial, elementary, emergent, emerging, nascent, rising, developing, budding.

25.tall (adjective)

English Meaning - big, large, huge, lofty.

26.falter (verb)

English Meaning - to lose intensity or strength, especially gradually; hesitate, be undecided, waver, vacillate, fluctuate, be irresolute, show weakness, shrink.

27.conservatism (noun)

English Meaning - a political and social philosophy that emphasizes tradition, stability, and the value of established institutions. It seeks to preserve existing conditions and resist rapid change, often advocating for a limited role of government in economic affairs and a strong emphasis on individual responsibility.

28.turn out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - transpire, emerge, evolve, develop, happen/occur, come about.

29.avail (verb)

English Meaning - use, utilize, employ, make use of, take advantage of.

30.development (noun)

English Meaning - progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth.

31.market potential (noun)

English Meaning - a business’s estimated potential to make money. It aims to quantify how much demand exists for a product or service.

32.Technology Readiness Level (TRL) (noun)

English Meaning - a type of measurement system used to assess the maturity level of a particular technology. There are nine technology readiness levels. TRL 1 is the lowest and TRL 9 is the highest.

33.hierarchy (noun)

English Meaning - pecking order, ranking, class system; arrangement, classification.

34.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (noun)

English Meaning - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958. NASA, as agency of the Unite States government, has “the mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.” Therefore, NASA concentrates its efforts in two main areas, namely: space exploration and civilian and military aerospace research.

35.arbitrary (adjective)

English Meaning - capricious, personal (whim/choice), capricious, whimsical, random, erratic, unreasonable, irrational, illogical, groundless, unjustifiable, discretionary, subjective.

36.promising (adjective)

English Meaning - good, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, positive, heartening, reassuring.

37.halfway (adverb)

English Meaning - in the middle; in the centre; to some extent/degree; to a certain extent/degree; comparatively, relatively, somewhat.

38.magic sauce (noun)

English Meaning - a secret idea/plan; a method, strategy, or ingredient that makes something successful or distinctive.

39.venture capital (noun)

English Meaning - a sum of money investors commit for investment in early-stage companies.

40.venture (noun)

English Meaning - business enterprise, undertaking, project, scheme, activity.

41.premise on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - be based on a particular idea/belief.

42.fickleness (noun)

English Meaning - continuous change, changeability, variability, inconstancy, instability, unsteadiness, unpredictability, irregularity, unreliability, fluctuation, oscillation.

43.spectre (noun)

English Meaning - threat, menace, danger/peril.

44.over time (phrase)

English Meaning - if something happens over time, it happens gradually during a long period.

45.civilian (noun)

English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

46.Global Positioning System (GPS) (noun)

English Meaning - GPS is a (navigation) system. It’s made up of three parts: satellites, ground stations, and receivers. The technology can pinpoint longitude, latitude, ground speed, and course direction of the target somewhere in the world.

47.haemorrhage (verb)

English Meaning - lose a lot of something valuable in a seemingly uncontrollable way.

48.the West (noun)

English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

49.due to (phrase)

English Meaning - because of, owing to, on account of, as a result of, in view of.

50.lack (noun)

English Meaning - absence, unavailability, insufficiency, shortage.

51.commensurate (adjective)

English Meaning - equivalent, equal, corresponding, comparable, proportionate, proportional; in line with, consistent with, in accordance with.

52.lack (verb)

English Meaning - be without, be short of, not have enough of, be deficient of.

53.conceive (verb)

English Meaning - envisage, imagine, envision, think, perceive, apprehend.

54.overnight (adverb)

English Meaning - instantly, promptly, immediately, suddenly, quickly; swiftly, expeditiously.