THE CONTEXT: The government is overhauling India’s science establishment, which includes setting up the new National Research Foundation (NRF) and restructuring the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In this scenario, a comprehensive assessment of the current administrative ability to optimise Indian science’s efficiency and resilience is necessary.

ISSUES

• Low expenditure on research: One of the major issues constraining scientific outcomes in India is its low expenditure on research and development which is around 0.7% of GDP, compared to 3.5% for US and 2.4% for China. Added concern is inability to commit to long-term steady funding of critical projects when faced with the inevitable occasional failures.
• Failure of scientific administration: The scientific administration is failing in India, for example, even the space programmes is witnessing narrowing leads. As in 2022, ISRO stood a very behind on launch numbers, with foreign startups racing ahead on key technologies such as reusable rockets. Likewise, the lead in nuclear energy has been fading away from being latecomers to small modular reactors to unutilisation of thorium ambition. On critical science and technology themes such as genomics, robotics, and artificial intelligence, the situation is even more alarming.
• Domination of public sector: India’s science sector is dominated by the public sector. There are generic irritants associated with governmental bureaucracy, such as delay in approval of crucial time-dependent funding, or equitable decision making across different funding levels.The direction and organisation of science is inconsistent and unfit for the vital role which science must play going ahead.
• Outsized role played by scientists: The defining feature of India’s science administration is the centrality of its senior scientists. However, there is another race going on there, with scientist trying to fit in the role of administrator as many try to become directors, vice-chancellors and secretaries to the Government of India. Therefore, top scientists rather than government bureaucrats are at the helm of India’s science administration.
• Administrative efficiency: There is an argument that only scientists can appropriately run scientific institutions, considering the importance and technical rigours of the science that is supposed to go on in these places. The actual performance of these institutions is proof enough that this paradigm is faulty. This leads to shelved projects, loss of time and financial resources.
• Lack of training: The lack of comprehensive training in selecting which particular metrics are appropriate under what circumstances leads to absurdities such as an entire project getting derailed due to a single invoice or acquisition. Administration is the art of translating policy into outcomes and scientists are simply not trained to prioritise between time, cost, or precision.
• Conflict of interest: The scope for conflicts of interest in the present scenario and system is huge. Being an academic within the same institution in which one wields administrative control does not go well. Thus, scandals such as high plagiarism rates, paid publications in disreputable journals, and under-the-table dealings to garner government funding have become normalised.
• Institutional capture and Factionalism: The culture of Indian science has descended into shoddy quality control and projects of scientific and strategic importance have been devastated due to reasons that range from competition to egotism. The fact that there is no system of all-India transfers of both scientists and science administrators only magnifies institutional capture and factionalism. Only few institutions have exclusive access to certain equipment which lead to emergence of system of gatekeepers. Many bright scientists’ careers and lives have been destroyed due to their conflicts with this oppressive network of gatekeepers.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Focussing on positive funding balance: Considering such a low expenditure, there is a need to focus on allocating money wisely by emphasising on high-impact projects. Proper funding exhibit a significant drive towards supporting initiatives with the potential for commercial translation of products or services.
• Freeing up scientist from administration: Administering an organisation as complex as a national lab or a university cannot be relegated to becoming a side-project of a ‘working’ scientist doubling up as a director or vice-chancellor. In this scenario, there is a need to free up scientist from administration, this will lessen the burden of scientists and will help use their expertise in research.
• Separation of administration and scientific management: There is a need for separation between administration and scientific management. The separation of administrators and scientists is something which most robust science establishments generally embrace. Administration requires a particular skill set, most importantly, the allocation of money, resources and time. Indeed, attributes associated with good scientists, such as individuality, constructive ego, and erudition, have little congruence with the demands of administration tact, realism, flexibility and firmness.
• International experience: An American middle-way arrangement can be adopted in this regard, where scientists are selected and trained in an all-India pool of a science administration central service. In U.S., with labs being embedded in the university ecosystem and run by scientists, selects scientists for an administrative role quite early on in their careers. Such selected science administrators only carry out administrative tasks thereon, and are groomed for the task, with very few of them ever going back to active science.
• Cultivating a supportive ecosystem: A flourishing research ecosystem thrives on funding, infrastructure and a critical mass of expertise. Enhancing the quantum of allocation of research funds through government grants, which are the primary support for Indian researchers can result in more ideas coming to life. Enabling research exposure at the undergraduate level can motivate more youngsters to pursue research as a career.
• Building trust: Scientists often prioritise delving into the fundamental aspects of a problem, and publishing their observations, sometimes sidelining the application of their findings. However, recognising the value of impactful outcomes, researchers can make significant contributions by formulating research proposals that address pressing societal needs. By bridging this gap between fundamental exploration and real-world innovation, the innovation pipeline gains momentum.

THE CONCLUSION:

Administration is something which has to be taught and practised separately from the subject matter being administered. Without addressing these core concerns, India’s science establishment will continue to do injustice to its economic and strategic aspirations. Research thrives when scientists can devote their time and energy to solving problems in science rather than administration. India presents a promising landscape of research and scientist need to strike the delicate balance between administrative tasks and their core research to achieve outstanding scientific outcomes.

UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1 How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by science-based technologies? (2020)

Q.2 Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as our business operations, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment. (2014)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 The administrative setup of any complex organisation is its central nervous system, and the same is true for science establishments. Examine the statement in light of challenges of administration in the arena of science and technology in India.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-problem-with-indias-science-management/article67757103.ece

THE CONTEXT: On January 6, 2024, a line of commands transmitted by scientists and engineers of the ISRO which initiated onboarding operation of Aditya-L1 spacecraft that guided it into orbit around an imaginary point in space. Thus, Aditya-L1 reached its destination, around the L1 Lagrange point, from where it will have an unrestricted view of the sun for its expected lifetime of five years.

ABOUT ADITYA-L1:

• Aditya-L1 is an observatory-class solar mission that will study the sun with seven instruments:
• VELC, a coronagraph to study the uppermost layer of the sun’s atmosphere
• SUIT, an ultraviolet imaging telescope
• SoLEXS and HEL1OS, to study solar flares and coronal mass ejections
• ASPEX and PAPA, to study the solar wind and plasma
• A set of digital magnetometers to measure properties of the magnetic field around the spacecraft.
• ISRO picked the L1 Lagrange point 1.5 million km from the earth in the earth-sun direction and one of five Lagrange points in the earth-sun system. It is because the gravitational influences of the two bodies interact such that a smaller body here will not experience a net tug towards either. So, Aditya-L1 can stay at L1 while expending little fuel.
• Aditya-L1 supplements India’s history of observing the sun dating back to the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, which commenced operations in 1901 by lofting it into space.
• There arises issue of public perception on this mission. Many continue to expect the Indian spacecraft to capture hi-resolution photographs of the cosmos without much capacity and instrument. For example, while Aditya-L1 and AstroSat are big strides from India’s point of view, they pale in comparison to the imaging abilities of the James Webb Space Telescope, which is operated by three space agencies.

OBJECTIVES OF THE MISSION:

• Solar Observation:Aditya-L1 is designed to observe the Sun and its dynamics closely. It will provide valuable data on various aspects of the Sun, including its surface, corona, and the solar wind.
• Understanding the Solar Corona: One of the key mysteries it aims to address is the high temperature of the solar corona, which is much hotter than the Sun’s surface. Scientists want to better understand the reasons behind this temperature disparity.
• Space Weather Monitoring: Aditya-L1 serves as a space weather station. It monitors and collects data on space weather conditions near the Earth. This information is crucial for understanding how solar variability impacts the Earth’s climate and space weather, which can affect communication systems, power grids, and satellite operations.
• Studying Solar Activity:The mission aims to monitor solar activity, such as sunspots and solar flares which can have a significant impact on space weather and Earth’s climate.
• Space Weather Prediction: By constantly monitoring space weather parameters and collecting data, Aditya-L1 contributes to improving space weather prediction models. This is important for protecting satellites and infrastructure in space.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Collaboration: ISRO needs to expand its own and its collaborating institute’s public outreach efforts. It can be done by hosting open days focused on specific missions and commissioning science communication on new results at regular intervals.
• Including Public interest: ISRO should consider including components on missions that feed public interest. All these efforts will require funds, and ISRO should consider getting the funds from the government and private sector.
• Improving Satellite Operations: There is a need to improve satellite operations to allow for better spacecraft design and operation.
• Enhancing Research: Exploring the Sun’s complex behaviour, including its magnetic fields and plasma dynamics contributes to advances in fundamental physics and astrophysics. Insights gained from studying this experiment can enhance our research to understand the various solar processes.

THE CONCLUSION:

Aditya-L1 is an Indian space mission focused on solar observation, studying the Sun’s corona, monitoring space weather, and providing critical data for understanding the Sun’s influence on Earth’s climate and space environment. It aims to unravel the mysteries of the Sun while helping to predict and mitigate the impacts of space weather events on Earth and in space.

UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q. What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (2019)

Q. Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development? (2016)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss the objectives of Aditya L1 mission. How the success of this mission can help India to become a major global space power? Explain.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/a-new-high-the-hindu-editorial-on-the-aditya-l1-mission-and-isro-outreach/article67716113.ece

THE CONTEXT: The ISRO has launched two missions in the five months since its success with Chandrayaan-3. The Aditya L-1 space probe to study the sun and the XPoSat to study polarised X-rays emitted in astrophysical phenomena. XPoSat has been launched in a two-part mission, onboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on its C58 flight.

WHAT IS X-RAY POLARIMETER SATELLITE (XPOSAT)?

• It aims to analyse the polarisation of X-rays emanating from bright celestial sources in the medium frequency band.
• XPoSat comprises two payloads, including Indian X-ray Polarimeter (POLIX) and X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing (XSPECT). They have been built by Raman Research Institute and UR Rao Satellite Centre respectively, both located in Bengaluru. The spacecraft is designated for observation from low earth orbit.
• Together, they are expected to shed light on intense X-ray sources such as pulsars and black holes.
• The observations will be done when the magnetars or neutron stars are in transit through the Earth’s shadow during the eclipse period.

SCIENTIFIC PAYLOADS ONBOARD XPOSAT:

• POLIX: It is the world’s first instrument designed to operate in the medium X-ray of 8 to 30 kilo electron Volt (keV) energy band. It comprises a collimator, which is the key component to filter light originating from bright sources in the field of view. Moreover, there is a scatterer consisting of four X-ray proportional counter detectors that prevent the trapped light from escaping. It will observe a few tens of astronomical sources.
• XSPECT: It is designed to conduct fast timing and high spectroscopic resolution in a soft X-ray energy band (0.8-15 keV). It will observe a variety of sources like X-ray pulsars, black hole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron stars, active galactic nuclei and magnetars.

ISRO’s MISSION SIGNIFICANCE:

• Significance of PSLV: This is only the third time ISRO has operated the PSLV fourth stage in this way. The PSLV C58 mission represents a union of the aspirations of professional scientists, aspiring students of science, and India’s private spaceflight sector.
• Increasing demands: This mission is an illustration of the increasing demands of ISRO itself as it shows increasing technological capabilities based on scientific missions. The PSLV C58 mission is a symbol of the demands being made of
• Research oriented: It is being observed that the ratio of scientific to technological missions that ISRO has launched is skewed in favour of the latter, at the expense of research in the sense of discovery. Those science-oriented missions have all been exceptional.
• Cost effective mission: ISRO has been successful in cost effective missions. Through a strategic blend of innovation and planning, ISRO consistently executes missions that meet its objectives while maintaining affordability.
• Collaborations: There is enduring partnership of ISRO with educational institutions, research organizations, and private industry to leverage diverse expertise and resources leading to innovation.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Unique needs and priorities: The science-technology skew is a reminder that ISRO is among one of the world’s spacefaring organisations with its unique needs and priorities. This is exemplified by the second part of the C58 mission.
• Striking a balance: India faces competition with established space powers like the US, Russia, and China, who have made significant strides in space exploration. There is a need of striking a balance between collaborating with international space agencies to compete on global stage.
• Enhancing capabilities of state: There is a need for enhancing capabilities of the state to establish frameworks and procedures that can overcome financial constraints and enable the harnessing of important resources.
• Promote Indigenous Technologies: There is a need to encourage the development of indigenous technologies that ensures self-reliance and reduces dependence on external sources for space technologies.

THE CONCLUSION:

India’s space missions are full of promises and upcoming missions hold the potential to reshape our understanding of space. There is a need for constant enhancing of our technological capabilities to solidify India’s position as a prominent player in the realm of space exploration.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS:

Q.1 What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (2019)

Q.2 Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development? (2016)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q.1 India has achieved remarkable successes in space missions in recent years. In this regard, discuss the challenges and opportunities for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/sign-of-the-future-the-hindu-editorial-on-isros-pslv-c58-mission/article67695030.ece#:~:text=The%20XSPECT%20payload%2C%20by%20ISRO’s,as%20pulsars%20and%20black%20holes.