Match expansion in education sector with excellence: PM

Asking scientific institutions to combine expansion with excellence, prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said he has "some worries" over the dip in university research and the low enrolment of students in the science stream.

"The government can help with financial support, but it is the scientific community that must give scholastic substance to the infrastructure that exists or is coming into being," Singh said at the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Indian National Science Academy (Insa) here.

Referring to the process of setting up new institutes of science, institutes of technology, centres for research, and universities across the country, he said, "No government has done more to increase the number of institutions of excellence in the country than the present government.

"But maintaining standards in sciences and education while expanding the base at such a pace is indeed a difficult task. I would expect institutions like Insa to reflect on ways to combine expansion with excellence."

Singh said he has "some worries" over scientific research activity moving away from universities. "The centre of gravity of scientific research appears to have moved away from universities, a trend about which I do have some worries," he said.

The prime minister wanted the scientific community to examine curricula and the approach to teaching and to research because, despite efforts to make science education attractive, enrolment of students in science in universities remains low.

"It is disturbing that, committed as we are to making science education attractive to our youth, the enrolment of students in science in universities is not going up as fast as we expect it to," Singh said.

He asked scientists to "make full use" of the enormous pool of Indian talent abroad in examining curricula and the approach to teaching and research. He said scientists should focus on two sectors — energy and environment — where immediate attention is required.

"Our priorities are very clear. We need greater efficiency. We need new and sustainable sources of commercially viable energy. We need equity in the consumption of energy. We need to reduce the human imprint on the environment," he said.

"I sincerely believe that our universities must make use of the vast talent bank that exists in our country. We know where the priorities lie: the scientific community must come forward to tell us how to achieve our objectives."