In news

The Government of India has now released the draft of 5th National Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy for public consultation.

Aim

• The 5th Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy aim to foster, develop, and nurture a robust system for evidence and stakeholder-driven STI planning, information, evaluation, and policy research in India.
• The policy also identifies and addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian STI ecosystem to catalyse socio-economic development of India and to make the Indian STI ecosystem globally competitive.
• It also aims to bring in the concept of dynamic policy with a robust policy governance mechanism incorporating features such as implementation strategy, periodic review, policy evaluation, feedback, and adaptation, and most importantly, a timely exit strategy for various policy instruments.

Evolution of STI policies in India are as follows:  

• The first policy on science was adopted in the year 1958 in India--  Scientific Policy Resolution, 1958 (SPR1958). 
• The second policy on science was adopted in the year 1983 in India-- Technology Policy Statement, 1983 (TPS1983).
• The third policy on science was adopted in the year 2003 in India-- Science and Technology Policy 2003 (STP2003).
• The fourth policy on science was adopted in the year 2013 in India-- Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2013 (STIP2013).

Objective

• To identify and address the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian STI ecosystem to catalyse the socio-economic development of the country and also make the Indian STI ecosystem globally competitive.
  
• It aims to foster, develop, and nurture a robust system for evidence and stakeholder-driven STI planning, information, evaluation, and policy research in India.

Source: PIB