 "UNESCO IN INDIA : SCIENCE AND
 TECHNOLOGY" BY P.J. LAVAKARE AND
 SADHANA RELIA

INTRODUCTION

To review the vast activities of UNESCO over five decades under the broad category of Science and Technology is a very formidable task. Nevertheless, the completion of 50 years and the entry into the 21st century is a landmark worth using for introspection and future directions. The world itself has undergone major socio-political and economic changes. not to speak of the exponential changes in scientific and technical fields. It has thus become necessary to examine what has been achieved so far under the UNESCO's mandate for science(s) and technology and the growing demands of the society.

In the list of the reduced budgets, the Medium Term Strategy for 1996-2001 and the programme budget for 1996-97 have clearly shown a tendency for UNESCO to consolidate its Major Programme Areas and one will be seeing a `bringing together' of exact, natural, social and human sciences in the coming years. The initial emphasis on `S' (earlier interpreted as science and technology) is now re-emphasized to mean `Sciences in the plural', integrating natural and the social sciences but assuring to keep their secretariat activities distinct and their budget separate.

*Note: In this paper, `science and technology' will be collectively, referred to as `science', disregarding the separate identity normally assigned to the two.

The views expressed are those of the authors alone and are not necessarily of the organizations to which they belong.

An attempt is made in this paper to briefly review the role played by UNESCO in India's in the field of science and technology (hereafter referred throughout the paper merely as `science') over the last fifty years and to devise our strategy for the future participation in UNESCO's activities in this crucial sector. In doing so, the authors are conscious of the fact that the review cannot be considered as exhaustive. The effort, therefore, is to highlight certain areas of science in UNESCO which are crucial to the problems of national development and which supplement and complement our national effort in science. The emphasis is to recognise science (basic and applied) as an essential human activity requiring support from the society and in turn demanding from it/the benefits which could accrue to the society. In this context UNESCO's activities could be broadly categorized as follows: (a) strengthening the capabilities in science, (b) science policy related activities, (c) information systems for science and technology, and (d) science, society and development. The article will highlight UNESCO's contribution in India's in these four broad categories.

THE `S' IN UNESCO

It is first necessary to understand how the `S' for science(s) in UNESCO was given a special place when the Organization was established; and how, over the years, science has been interpreted and promoted. In fact, soon after the end of the second world war, the acronym UNESCO narrowly missed not having the `S' for science when education and culture were the main concern of the Conference of the Allied Ministers of Education when they proposed the setting up of UNESCO. The scientific group in the United Kingdom, led by Sir Julian, Huxley, ensured that `S' was added in November 1945 to create thereafter the

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Science was seen as an ideal medium through which co- operation amongst nations could be encouraged a prophecy which has been proven right through a number of programmes of international co- operation which have brought the world together in many ways. For the first time, an inter-governmental organization had been given a major responsibility for the development of international relations in science.

Recognising the importance of science in providing benefits to the society in the field of industrial development, in the food and agricultural sector as well as in the health sector, UNESCO highlighted the fact that the fruits of science are unevenly distributed amongst the developed and the developing countries. The new knowledge and its application. were concentrated mainly in the developed countries. UNESCO accepted the task to help redress this imbalance. UNESCO believes that in any society, science has an intrinsic value. UNESCO places science alongside education and culture in its mandate because, besides being useful, it has a value of its; own. This is UNESCO's way of recognising that science constitutes a seminal method of interpreting the world. This commitment of UNESCO has also been reflected in the allocations provided for science and technology over the years. Even during the last few years, when there have been serious constraints in resources, UNESCO's outlays for science and technology have increased from about $93.5 million in 1990-91 to more than $150 million in 1996-97 and this has given a stronger justification for the `S' in UNESCO. In the next section we will see how science is viewed in India, and highlight the common faith that UNESCO and India have in science.

SCIENCE IN INDIA: A COMMON FAITH WITH UNESCO

Around the time UNESCO was established in 1946, India was also on the verge of being an independent nation. Thanks to the rich and ancient cultural heritage of India, it had a scholarly tradition in several fundamental areas of scientific activities. India's base for scientific knowledge goes back to more than a thousand years as is evident from the India's contributions in the field of astronomy, mathematics, architecture and town planning, metallurgy as well as in the fields of medicine and surgery. Even during the colonial era, particularly through the work of distinguished scientists like C.V. Raman, IC. Bose, M.N. Saha, S.N. Bose and many others, India's science flourished considerably - no doubt mainly due to the effort of these individuals. Scientific academies and even research institutes were established for pursuit of basic science. In order to provide a data base for natural resources in India, the Britishers established organizations like Botanical, Zoological, and Geological Surveys of India which provide excellent base for data collection and storage -- the essentials of an information system for science and technology. What did not happen in a major way during the colonial period was the capacity building for the utilization of scientific knowledge through well drawn out programmes of applied science, the occurrence of which would have brought benefits to the society. As a developing country, India could not reap the fruits of scientific knowledge for its economic development, India missed the industrial revolution which had made a tremendous difference to the, Western societies.

Soon after Independence in 1947, under the leadership of its first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, the process of capacity building for science was started. As a founder member of UNESCO, India recognised the unique role that was being charted out by

UNESCO for science and with this common faith in science, the two have worked together for the last 50 years. Strengthening the scientific capacity in India involved the building up of scientific manpower, setting up of institutes of technology and scientific laboratories for carrying out basic and applied research. This, no doubt, was primarily a national exercise, but UNESCO's efforts and specific catalytic programmes greatly helped in setting up such infrastructures for science in India.

Fostering and promoting science was a major agenda for newly independent India. in doing so the government had to clearly enunciate a national policy to give science a unique place in its national development programmes. The importance, of enunciating a policy for promoting science resulted in India announcing the Scientific Policy Resolution (SPR) in 1958 as an act of parliament. It is around the same time that UNESCO initiated its program for encouraging science policy formulation in developing countries. It may not be presumptuous to say that formulation of SPR by India gave a major boost to UNESCO's programmes in science policy under which it brought out several publications on the science policies of a number of countries.

Almost four decades after enunciating its SPR, India is still struggling to ensure that its investments in science accrue rich dividends and benefits wits masses. India's scientific programmes in agriculture, medial science, atomic energy and space research have indeed started accruing major benefits to the society but there is always die question "Are we getting back enough from our investments in science?" On the other hand, there are major programmes of socio- economic development in, the field of rural development, environmental management, poverty alleviation and self-employment programmes, development of scheduled

castes and, scheduled tribes, improving the working conditions of women, science popularization amongst the people etc. which am putting greater demands for inputs from science. All these activities essentially stress the need for greater integration of science with society.

Our national effort has therefore been in two directions: the first being to strengthen the national capacity in science (both basic and applied) and the other being to ensure its utilisation for accruing benefits to the society. In the process of benefiting the society through science, it is necessary for the natural scientists to work closely with social scientists and this "bringing together" is a very important aspect of all our science and society programmes now being promoted by the Government of India. It is in this area that we have a common agenda with UNESCO.

UNESCO'S ACTIVITIES IN INDIA

As indicated earlier, in the field of science, UNESCO has particularly close relationship with India. In this field, the Department of Science and Technology is the nodal office for interaction with UNESCO, UNESCO's Regional Office of Science and Technology for South and Central Asia (ROSTSCA) is located in New Delhi.

From the preliminary data provided by ROSTSCA, it is estimated that, over these years, more than 900 specific activities have been undertaken by UNESCO in this region. Out of these about 70 per cent has been supported in India. These activities could be discussed broadly wider four heads, viz., (a) Strengthening the capabilities in science; (b) Science

policy related activities; (c) Information systems for science and technology; and (d) Science, society and development.

Strengthening the Capabilities in Science

The major focus of UNESCO's activities has been on strengthening the scientific capacity of India through organising a large number of training and workshop activities and providing fellowships in diverse disciplines of pure and applied sciences. These have been complemented by an, equally large number of conferences and symposia which have helped the Indian scientific community to interact and network with the international scientific community. The subject areas covered were biochemistry, materials, environmental chemistry, spectroscopy, cyclones, remote sensing, molecular biology, neurochemistry, physiology and a large number of other disciplines. The emphasis has generally been on biology, agriculture and other interdisciplinary fields. The support provided for these activities has not been very large. Typically 5 to 6 such activities in India have been receiving UNESCO's support per year.

UNESCO has also provided financial assistance to various scientific institutions in India, some of which include Central Electronics and Engineering Research Institute, Pilani, and National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, Lucknow. A ten year long UNESCO aid to Indian. Institute of Technology, Bombay greatly helped its educational and research capabilities.

As part of the capacity building activity, UNESCO has also supported India's participation in regional research networks in some areas of science. In recent years, the establishment, of UNESCO Chairs in selected arm has recognized India's expertise in these areas; programmes drawn up around these Chairs have greatly enhanced the activities in these areas. Details of some of these areas where India has taken a lead are described elsewhere in this paper.

Science Policy Related Activities

As part of UNESCO's efforts to redress the imbalance between developed and developing countries, it has sponsored debates and discussions which have helped member countries to evolve their science policies depending on their individual developmental needs. UNESCO has published several country papers on the science policies of its member countries. The major conferences sponsored by UNESCO in the Asian region viz., the CASTASIA-I held in New Delhi in 1968 which was followed later by CASTASIA-II held in Manila in 1982, proved to be extremely important for countries in the region, to appreciate various issues involved in making policies for application of science and technology for, national development. Such intensive debates on the complex topic of science policy helped the countries concerned to identify the obstacles involved in using science for development. India hosted the first conference and actively participated in the second. UNESCO, also helped India and the countries in this region to prepare for the Global U.N. Conference on Sciences and Technology for Development (UNCSTD) which was held in Vienna in August 1979. It

was as a result of the intense preparatory phase, where with UNESCO's help India was able to play a very major role in drafting the Vienna Programme of Action in 1979.

In 1988, UNESCO initiated the forum of Science & Technology Policy Asian Network (STEPAN) which is an official Asia-wide network of people and institutions involved in research and training support for national science and technology (S&T) policy and management. India is an active member of STEPAN and has benefited considerably from its participation.

Information Systems for Science & Technology

UNESCO has catalysed the development of national information system for science, and technology in India. National Information System in Science and Technology (NISSAT) of Ministry of Science and Technology, which represents India in the Regional Network for Exchange of Information of Experience in Science and Technology in Asia and the Pacific (ASTINFO), is implementing specific activities under the UNESCO's General Information Programme, (PGI). This programme aims at development of libraries, information systems and services on science and technology in Asia and Pacific. NISSAT distributes UNESCO's software packages such as CDS, ISIS and IDAMS in India. These software packages help in the management and analysis of non-numeric and numeric data. PGI is of critical importance to India in. the coming years. Greater support from UNESCO is required for conducting regional training on information management, bringing out newer versions of software packages by UNESCO for distribution, in India, and utilisation of cyber space concept and linking of countries through information highways for enhanced information exchange.

In generating information on research and development (R&D) statistics, National Science and Technology Management Information Systems (NSTMIS) in the Ministry of Science, and Technology has been regularly interacting with UNESCO's Division of Statistics. It has been. providing statistical data on scientific research and experimental development in respect of India for inclusion in the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook. It has adopted the definitions/concepts/terminologies given in the UNESCO's manual for statistics on scientific and technological activities with certain modifications in bringing out documents on India's R&D statistics, Further, it has provided expertise for UNESCO meetings on S&T statistics and indicators.

Science, Society and Development

One of the major concerns of UNESCO, right from its inception, has been to ensure that science is not only practised by the scientific community, but its impact should be understood by the society. To promote this awareness, the programme of science popularisation became an important activity of UNESCO. As a result of the support provided by India, the Kalinga Prize for science popularization has been established as an internationally recognized award. Indian nationals have also been recipients of this award in view of their active role in science popularization activities.

Recognising the important contribution that science can make in the protection of environment and natural resources management, UNESCO has sponsored a number of activities and programmes in India. The major thrust of UNESCO's activities under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme has been biodiversity conservation, rehabilitation and

natural resources based sustainable livelihood for traditional societies. India is keenly interested in participating in the discussions on the societal and ethical issues involved in conservation of biodiversity. The initiative of UNESCO's International Bioethics Committee for evolving a possible. UNESCO international instrument on the protection of the Human Genome is of considerable interest to India. UNESCO has also supported studies in India aimed at assessing, synthesising and communicating information on Long-Term Research Sites (LTRS) for conservation. This area is of great interest to India in view of its relevance to the conservation of tropical forests of India.

For a long period UNESCO has supported several activities in the fields of earth sciences including seismology, hydrology, arid. zone studies, disaster management, etc. Several training programmes have also been organised in Indian institutions.

India's participation in intergovernmental scientific programmes as well. as nongovernmental programmes of ICSU has been greatly assisted by UNESCO. Through participation; in programmes like International Hydrological Programme (IHP), programme of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP), the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme has greatly strengthened India's own programmes in relevant areas. The details of these areas where India has taken an initiative are described in the next section.

"UNESCO IN INDIA : SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY" BY P.J. LAVAKARE AND SADHANA RELIA