Edu-leaders

In a serious bid to boost research and development (R&D) in the country, the government has decided to absorb at least 10,000 PhDs every year. It will also help the government to prevent ongoing brain drain in the research area.

Giving this information, Union Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar said, "If India's quest for global leadership has to be achieved, we need to focus on the areas of science, technology and innovation. We believe that the money invested in R&D by the private sector needs to be increased exponentially."

The union minister said that besides absorbing 10,000 PhDs, the private sector and government are also working together to absorb foreign scientists of Indian origin who want to return to home.

Kumar announced that a committee headed jointly by an industry leader and a government officer would be set up to prepare a white paper on where the country stands today in terms of research and development. This will help the government and private sector to finalize a plan of action together.