Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made a quite a candid admission that nobody was satisfied with the climate summit at Copenhagen.
Speaking at the Indian Science Congress on Sunday, the Prime Minister said the climate summit was disappointing and nobody was satisfied with the outcome. The world leader made only limited progress at the summit, he added.
On genetically modified foods, he said it does raise legitimate questions of safety even though BT cotton has made a big difference
On the general scientific scenario, the Manmohan was quite candid, and said red tapism, political interference and lack of recognition of good work contributed to regression of Indian science.
He termed it as "unfortunate" regression in some sectors of Indian science due to red tape and political interference, and asked scientists to engage with government to liberate it from shackles of "bureaucratic and in-house favouritism".
Holding that time has come to give a "new boost" to science and technology, he asked Indian scientists working abroad to return to the country to convert the "brain drain" to "brain gain".
Singh announced that the government was considering revision of the value of doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships as well as formulation of schemes that would cover all research scholars with some funding support.
"It is unfortunately true that red tape, political interference and lack of proper recognition of good work have all contributed to a regression in Indian science in some sectors from the days of C V Raman and others," Singh said inaugurating the 97th Indian Science Congress here.
He said he had taken note of 2009 Nobel laureate Venkataraman Ramakrishnan's remarks that there was a need for greater "autonomy from red tape and local politics" for Indian scientists.
Singh said steps to improve science require not only money but change in mindset, including that of the senior faculty and university administration.
"I invite you all to explore all these issues and engage with us so that we can do what is needed to liberate Indian science from the shackles and dead weight of bureaucratic and in-house favouritism," he told a gathering of about 5000 scientists and educationists.