The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur, submitted the report
New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel on education has recommended that research in India’s traditional knowledge systems in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) should be promoted because it not only enriches the country’s heritage but is also imperative for its progress and “cultural preservation”.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur, submitted its report titled “research based education and ‘anusandhan’ scenario in sciences and related fields” in the Parliament on Wednesday. The Committee examined the research scenario in the HEIs in India in the backdrop of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.Stay tuned with breaking news on HT Channel on Facebook. Join Now
While observing that the ongoing efforts in research and innovation and their implementation in HEIs are “satisfactory” and “on the right trajectory”, the committee recommends that the Department of Higher Education, UGC, AICTE and Department of Science and Technology (DST) must take a proactive stance in identifying key national priorities, emerging frontiers, and strategic research areas and imperatively allocate substantial funding to these crucial research projects.
The Committee further said that it is of the view that research on India’s traditional knowledge systems not only enriches the country’s heritage but also offers viable solutions to contemporary challenges in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability and is imperative for India’s progress and “cultural preservation”.
“In view of this, the Committee recommends prioritising research in India’s traditional knowledge systems due to their immense significance on multiple fronts such as Vedic mathematics, heritage preservation as it plays a pivotal role in preserving and documenting the ancient wisdom and practices inherent in traditional knowledge systems, validating the efficacy of traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and Yoga, sustainable practices in respect of agricultural methods, ecological wisdom, and natural resource management,” the committee said in its report.
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The Committee further recommends that there is a need to have more substantial research initiatives in specific areas, which are crucial for India’s welfare including curbing the excessive use of harmful chemicals and pesticides detrimental to human health, as well as addressing issues of air and water pollution alongside health-specific research in both human and cattle diseases.
“The committee recommends for a strategic shift to address these critical gaps with the research entities pivoting towards an India-centric, utility- driven approach in their scientific endeavors, especially in fields of agriculture, healthcare, and environmental sectors,” the panel said in its report.
Emphasising that for a developing country like India it is imperative to invest in research in space science, the committee recommends introducing specialised courses in space science, astronomy, astrophysics, and related fields within departments of science and establishing collaborations between Universities and space research organisations like ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to provide students with research opportunities.
“Investing in space science research not only drives technological advancements but also addresses crucial socio-economic and developmental challenges, through better monitoring of natural resources, including water resources, forest cover, and agricultural productivity,” the panel said.
“Also, Space-based technologies offer critical data for predicting natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, and droughts helping in early warning systems, evacuation planning, and efficient disaster response and thereby reducing the impact on lives and infrastructure,” it added.
