Developing indigenous research

The need for improving the quality of research in Jammu and Kashmir is being increasingly felt in the academic circles. J&K is facing many challenges and there is a huge scope for using science and technology in meeting many of these challenges. However, while the rest of the world, including many states of India, has made significant improvement on research front, our UT continues to lag behind. Though some of our researchers have achieved breakthroughs in the recent past, there is not much to write home about. The most unfortunate part of the story is that we don’t seem to be concerned about it. Unless we realize the importance of improving research standards in J&K and do something about it, we are bound to remain ‘backward’ and dependent on outside researchers and they cannot be expected to contribute much. Developing indigenous research is the best way forward to solve many of our local problems like food dependency. There is a reason for optimism about the growth of scientific research in J&K as there are many examples which serve as glimmer of hope. However, we cannot just rely on a handful of researchers, we need to produce more of them. One of the ways to do it is to groom scientific talent.  There is a need to catch young talent inclined to pursue science studies, to nurture it, and to motivate it sufficiently to remain attached to the domain of science to become the next generation of teachers and researchers. Similarly, scientific temperament at the primary school level should be inculcated. Our universities should rededicate their efforts to address the growing research deficit in the UT. The government and the concerned authorities must revisit the schemes meant to attract students towards science subjects, ensuring that the students with interest in the field avail them. Various doctoral and post doctoral fellowships need to sustain and promote this interest in research. Sometimes, the researchers are also guilty of not utilizing their knowledge for addressing public issues. They need to put their heads together and contribute in the progress of the UT. At the broader level, there has to be close coordination between the academia, research institutions, policy makers and the governmental functionaries working in the field so that better research standards are developed for the betterment of the society.