5th STIP of India:
i.It has been initiated after Scientific Policy Resolution 1958; Technology Policy Statement 1983; Science and Technology Policy 2003; Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2013 & is being formulated by the Government at a time when the whole world is facing the crisis of coronavirus (COVID-19 ) epidemic.
ii.It is worth mentioning that this policy integrates the lessons from COVID-19 for a new India, as well as the opportunity for a Atmanirbhar Bharat (self- reliant) India by taking advantage of the opportunity of demographic dividend in the fields of R&D ( research and development,), design, etc. through science, technology and innovation.
Four important tracks have been included in the formulation process of this 6-month long new policy:
- Track 1:- Under this track, a comprehensive public and expert consultation process has been laid out through the ‘Science Policy Forum’. It is a dedicated platform to receive input from large public and expert pools during and after the drafting process.
- Track 2: – This track includes thematic consultations of experts to accept evidence based recommendations. For this, 21 main thematic groups (TGs) have been formed.
- Track 3: – The track includes consultation process with various central ministries and states.Nodal officers are being nominated in States and in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government of India for extensive intra-state and intra-department consultation
- Track 4: – The track provides consultations with various stakeholders at the top level & consultation with institutional leadership, industry bodies, global partners and inter-ministerial and inter-state consultations represented at the highest levels are being carried out.
About Ministry of Science & Technology:
Headquarters– New Delhi
Union Minister– Harsh Vardhan
The Present PSA – K VijayRaghavan.