Indian Science: Steps to Excellence

摘要

THE NEWS OF THE WEEK STORY "INDIA'S vision: From scientific pipsqueak to powerhouse" (P. Bagla, 1 October 2010, p. 23) highlights a number of steps that India could undertake to increase its scientific output to a level on par with developed countries. We disagree with the implication that the Indian government is not bolstering scientific research. In addition to luring excellent nonresident Indian scientists back to the country, the government has recently opened several high-quality research institutions (such as the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research) and established additional campuses of the Indian Institutes of Technology. The number of Ph.D. and postdoctoral fellowships has doubled over the past 5 years (7-5).