Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

The Co-Evolution of India’s Policy on Science, Technology, and Innovation with University Education: The Need for Innovation in Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

Innovation-focused education and research have been identified as critical contributors to enhancing the innovative behaviour of individuals, organisations, and economies. Therefore, Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) embrace innovations to transform teaching, research, and knowledge transfer that impact economic and social objectives. The research objective of this study is to shed light on India’s needs for its higher education and innovation policies to develop faster growth and provide lessons on what it is doing right. For this, we study the gaps in the two policies: Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (STIP) and National Educational Policies (NEP) applicable to HEIs. This study uses content analysis of the policies, with two experts’ opinions on the evolution of the policies. It finds that the Indian government has consciously striven to adopt new developments, urgently needing to improve infrastructural facilities for knowledge-driven innovation. Yet, fostering private industry’s role in innovation has not been adequate. The study concluded that policymakers need to collaborate with all the players for focused education and research, resulting in responsible innovation.

Keywords

Innovation, Higher Education, Science Technology and Innovation Policy, National Education Policy, Research & Development, Higher Education Institutions, India

pdf

References

  1. Aggarwal, J.C. (1993). Landmarks in the history of modern Indian education. Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
  2. Alexander, U., & Evgeniy, P. (2012). The Entrepreneurial University in Russia: From idea to reality. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 52, 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.440
  3. Almeida, M. (2008). Innovation and entrepreneurship in Brazilian universities. International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development, 7(1), 39–58. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijtm.7.1.39_1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/ijtm.7.1.39_1
  4. Ashta, A. & Mor, S. (2017). Fostering well-being through cultural change: Lessons from microfinance for social entrepreneurs. In A. K. Sinha, A. K. Mohapatra and T. Banerjee (Ed.), Good Governance and Growth in Global Economy (pp. 21-30). Bloomsbury Publishing India.
  5. Ashta, A., & Mor, S. (2022). Is microcredit a reverse innovation? FIIB Business Review, 11(2), 225–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/2319714520962924. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2319714520962924
  6. Bronzini, R., & Piselli, P. (2016). The impact of R&D subsidies on firm innovation. Research Policy, 45(2), 442–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2015.10.008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2015.10.008
  7. Carayannis, E.G., & Campbell, D.F. (2009). ‘Mode 3′and 'Quadruple Helix’: Toward a 21st-century fractal innovation ecosystem. International Journal of Technology Management, 46(3–4), 201–234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2009.023374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2009.023374
  8. Casadella, V., & Uzunidis, D. (2018). Innovation capacities as a prerequisite for forming a national innovation system. Collective Innovation Processes, 4, 177–199. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119557883.ch9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119557883.ch9
  9. Chesbrough, H. (2015). From open science to open innovation, Institute for Innovation and Knowledge Management, ESADE.
  10. Chesbrough, H.W., & Garman, A.R. (2009). How open innovation can help you cope in lean times. Harvard Business Review, 87(12), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2012.6291580
  11. De O. e Silva, Y. F., de Freitas, C. C., Paranhos, J., & Hasenclever, L. (2012). University and the local development in Goiás – Brazil. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 52, 269–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.464 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.464
  12. Etzkowitz, H., & Leydesdorff, L. (2000). The dynamics of innovation: From National Systems and “Mode 2” to a Triple Helix of university–industry–government relations. Research Policy, 29(2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(99)00055-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(99)00055-4
  13. Fortune, I. (2022, July 21). India’s R&D expenditure is one of the lowest in the world: NITI Aayog. Fortune India.https://www.fortuneindia.com/enterprise/indias-rd-expenditure-is-one-of-the-lowest-in-the-world-niti-aayog/109030.
  14. Genus, A., & Stirling, A. (2018). Colling ridge and the dilemma of control: Towards responsible and accountable innovation. Research Policy, 47(1), 61–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.09.012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.09.012
  15. GOI. (1958). Government of India scientific policy resolution (STIP)1958, Vol. Government of India. https://www.india.gov.in/information-scientific-policy-resolution-1958.
  16. GOI. (1968). National policy on education. (1968) (NPE), Ministry of Education, Government of India. https://www.education.gov.in/national-policy-education-1968.
  17. GOI. (1983). Government of India technology policy statement (STIP) 1983, Vol. Government of India. https://www.india.gov.in/technology-policy-statement-1983-department-science-and-technology
  18. GOI. (1992). National Policy on Education, 1986 (As Modified in 1992), India, Ministry of Education, Government of India. https://www.education.gov.in/national-policy-education-1986-modified in 1992.
  19. GOI. (2003). Science and technology Policy (STIP) 2003. In Technology DOOA(Ed.), Vol. Government of India. https://www.india.gov.in/science-and-technology-policy-2003-department
  20. GOI. (2013). Science, technology and innovation Policy (STIP) 2013. In Technology MOOA(Ed.), Government of India. https://dst.gov.in/st-system-india/science-and-technology-policy-2013.
  21. GOI. (2016). Report of Education Commission, New Delhi Ministry of Education, 1966. http://indianculture.gov.in/report-education-commission-1964-66-0.
  22. GOI. (2020). National Educational Policy 2020 (NEP), Ministry of Education, Government of India. https://innovateindia.mygov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
  23. GOI. (2020). Science, technology and innovation Policy 2020. Draft STIP Doc. 1.4. In Technology MOOA(Ed.), Government of India. https://www.india.gov.in/technology-policy-statement-1983-department-science-and-technology
  24. Leila T. (2018). Responsible innovation. In D. Uzunidis (Ed), Collective Innovation Processes: Principles and Practices, 4, pp. 159-176), ISTE Ltd 2018: John Wiley & Sons, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119557883.ch8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119557883.ch8
  25. Maietta, O.W. (2015). Determinants of university–firm R&D collaboration and its impact on innovation: A perspective from a low-tech industry. Research Policy, 44(7), 1341–1359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2015.03.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2015.03.006
  26. Metcalfe, A.S. (2010). Examining the trilateral networks of the triple Helix: Intermediating organisations and academy-industry-government relations. Critical Sociology, 36(4), 503–519. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920510365920. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920510365920
  27. Moore, J.C. (2018). A brief history of universities, Palgrave Macmillan, Springer Nature.
  28. Mor, S. & Ashta A. (2018). Fostering the Culture of Learning and Experimentations: An Introduction. In S. Mor (Ed.), ‘Culture of Learning and Experimentation for Well-Being’ (pp. 1-18). New Delhi: Bloomsbury Publishing India.
  29. Razak, A.A., & Saad, M. (2007). The role of universities in the evolution of the Triple Helix culture of innovation network: The case of Malaysia. International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development, 6(3), 211–225. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijtm.6.3.211_1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/ijtm.6.3.211_1
  30. Schot, J., & Steinmueller, W.E. (2018). Three frames for innovation policy: R&D, Systems of innovation and transformative change. Research Policy, 47(9), 1554–1567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.08.011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.08.011
  31. Taylor, S. (2004). Knowledge circulation: The “triple Helix” concept applied in South Africa. Industry and Higher Education, 18(5), 329–334. https://doi.org/10.5367/0000000042317382. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5367/0000000042317382
  32. Uzunidis, D. (2018). Recherche académique et innovation. Peter Lang Publishing, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften DOI: https://doi.org/10.3726/b14444
  33. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). (2019). India and the GII: An innovation success story. https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/news/2019/news_0001.html.