Analysis of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies of India from 1958 to 2020

What is it about?

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) are pillars and drivers for the economic development and national competitiveness of any country. The crux of the STI policy is to achieve the goals of economic development. Science, Technology and Innovation can stand alone for the creation, management, and promotion of knowledge and information for value creation and for societal benefits; However, it contributes to the economic development of a country only when they have operated altogether. Knowledge-based economies integrate the STI policy with the national development plans for its effective implementation. The policy instruments for Science, Technology and Innovation as an individual policy area vary with each other, but holistically, STI policy uses different policy instruments for the promotion of the Science, Technology and Innovation fields to achieve integrated development contributing to the national economy. Competition policy, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy, Trade policy, Education policy etc are integrally associated with STI policy as policy instruments. STI policy with determined strategies to contribute to the national economy utilizes all these instruments efficiently. In this paper, STI policies of India implemented from 1958 to 2013 were assessed in a comparative framework approach with the fifth Indian National Innovation policy (STIP 2020). It was observed that the STIP 2020 in comparison to previous STI policies implemented in India, is similar in the selection of policy tools. STIP 2020 is ambitious in its approach to promoting STI in India and needs a supportive mechanism to achieve the stated objectives.

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