India’s researchers to now take on ‘scientific social responsibility’

Starting next year, research students in science who avail government scholarships or fellowships will have to render their services to the society in the form of ‘scientific social responsibility’ (SSR), akin to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

This initiative is to take research to the masses. Science research institutes can contribute either by disseminating scientific knowledge or by providing capacities to MSMEs and entrepreneurs, among others. This initiative will help draw the much needed industry-academia connect.

Students will have a range of options available – from learning the needs of locals through village visits, to writing a science story based on their research, an official from the department of science and technology said. This will improve communication with the masses on scientific research.

‘Science story’ by researchers has been on pilot mode since last year. Students contributed 3,500 stories, and this time the ministry is aiming at 10,000 papers, said Secretary to the Government of India, department of science and technology, Ashutosh Sharma, on the sidelines of a program by Center of Nano and Soft Matter.

The initiative is meant to fill the lacuna between lab-based research and the needs of the local communities. This setup will shift students from mere ‘tool centric’ to ‘problem centric’ research, Sharma said. It will also help the students improve their communication skills.