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Department of Science and Technology - Science & Technology

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 
 
 
 
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) is a crucial government agency in India, playing a pivotal role in promoting and nurturing science and technology throughout the country. Established in 1971, the DST functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, with headquarters in New Delhi
 
Responsibilities of Department of Science & Technology

The Department of Science & Technology (DST) in India shoulders a wide range of responsibilities related to promoting and fostering science and technology within the country. Here\'s a breakdown of some of its key duties:

Policy and Planning:

  • DST helps shape national science and technology policies, advising the government on strategic priorities and directions.
  • It conceptualizes and implements various programs across diverse scientific disciplines, addressing national needs and emerging technological trends.
  • DST acts as a nodal department, coordinating and guiding S&T activities across different government agencies and institutions.

Research and Development:

  • It provides financial backing to research projects through grants, fellowships, and other schemes, encouraging scientific pursuits in universities, laboratories, and private sectors.
  • DST facilitates the development and strengthening of research infrastructure by establishing national facilities, laboratories, and institutions, enabling cutting-edge research across various fields.

Technology Development and Application:

  • DST encourages the development and deployment of new technologies that benefit society, focusing on areas like renewable energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, IT, and space technology.
  • It bridges the gap between research and market application, supporting the translation of scientific discoveries into commercially viable products and solutions.

Education and Human Resource Development:

  •  DST promotes scientific temper and fosters S&T education through various programs, scholarships, and outreach initiatives, targeting students and researchers across different education levels.
  • It strengthens the nation\'s S&T workforce by nurturing talented individuals through fellowships, training programs, and skill development initiatives.

International Collaboration:

  • DST facilitates international collaboration in science and technology, promoting joint research projects, exchange programs, and knowledge sharing with other countries and international organizations.
  • It represents India in various international forums related to science and technology, promoting the country\'s scientific contributions and fostering global cooperation.
 
Year End Achievements of DST during 2022

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  • India’s significant rise in terms of number of publications in SCI journals - globally ranked 3rd now from 6th in 2013
  • India occupies 3rd rank in terms of number of PhDs awarded in Science and Engineering (S&E) (nearly 25,000) after the USA and China.
  • India ranks 3rd globally in terms of number of Startups (77,000) and in terms of no of UNICORNs (107) in the world.
  • India created a massive jump in its global ranking of Global Innovation Index (GII) from 81st in the year 2015 to 40th in 2022 among 130 economies of the world. India ranks 2nd among 34 lower middle-income economies and 1st among 10 Central and Southern Asian economies in terms of GII.
  • India ranks third among the most attractive investment destinations for technology transactions in the world.
  • The Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) has increased more than three times in the last 10 years.
  • Women\'s participation in extramural R&D has also doubled in the last 9 years.
  • India is ranked 9th in terms of resident patent filing

 

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  • DST’s Investment into S&T system got more than doubled in last 8 years from about Rs 2900 Cr in 2014-15 to Rs 6002 Cr in 2022-23.
  • The National Supercomputing Mission launched during 2015 has been boosting the national high performance computing infrastructure with 4 Entry level and 15 mid-level systems with 24PF compute capacity systems deployed in various institutions across the country.
  • The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems launched at a total outlay of Rs. 3660 crores during December 2018 has been boosting technology development in cyberphysical domains like AI, robotics, IOT through research and innovation hubs. The mission has created 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) at reputed academic institutes across the country which working towards achieving the Mission objectives. Various CPS and its associated technology verticals have been considered under NM-ICPS which include:  Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Banks & Data Services, Data Analysis, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Cyber Security and Cyber Security for Physical Infrastructure, Computer Vision, Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition systems (UAV, RoV etc), Quantum Technologies etc.
  • Survey of India launched Pan India High-Resolution Geospatial Mapping: The Survey of India (SoI), a subordinate department under the Department of Science & Technology has embarked on a Pan-India geospatial mapping of the country at a very high resolution of 10 cm scale using most advanced technologies like drone technology. With this, India joins the select club of few nations to have Ultra High-resolution National Topographic Data as foundation data. A Large Scale Mapping on 1:500 scale of States and UTs has been completed for several states. SoI has successfully carried out drone survey of rural abadi areas of 2,00,000+ villages as part of the SVAMITVA (Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas) for distribution of Property Cards in Abadi Areas and providing ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners.
  • DST’s programmes triggered extraordinary performance of innovation ecosystem: A national programme titled NIDHI (National Initiative for Developing & Harnessing Innovations) which addresses the entire value chain of Innovations has been launched. This has made some major impacts on India’s Innovation ecosystem by nurturing 3,681 startups through a network of 153 incubators created by DST, which generated 65,864 jobs as cumulative direct employment, created a wealth of Rs 27,262 crores and generated 1,992 intellectual property. 
  • Taking Innovation to Schools: The “Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge (MANAK)” programme launched during 2018 targets to bring one million ideas from middle and high schools across the country and the selected brilliant ones are being shortlisted for showcasing at district, state and then at the National Level Exhibition & Project Competition.
  • Empowering Women Scientists: To address gender imbalance, a new scheme viz. KIRAN was launched and a pilot scheme VIGYAN JYOTI was tested on limited scale and duration to attract and encourage young women.
  • AWSAR scheme launched to encourage young scientists to write popular science articles on their research pursuits.
  • SERB launches several new schemes to promote Science and Technology among all masses equitably: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body under DST, initiated several schemes like “SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research)” has been designed exclusively for women scientists to take up R&D at the highest level; SERB-VAJRA targeting to bring best of global science and scientists to India including NRIs; State University Research Excellence (SERB-SURE) to create a robust R&D ecosystem in state universities and colleges; Fund for Industrial Research Engagement (SERB-FIRE) to support research and development to solve critical problems which are relevant to industries on a public private partnership mode.
  • Boosting Technology Commercialization: Technology Development Board that provides financial assistance to Indian industrial concerns and other agencies, attempting development and commercial application of indigenous technology, or adapting imported technology to wider domestic applications witnessed several key success stories in the recent year.
  • A victorious march to combat COVID 19: Several of the Autonomous Institutions, DST programmes and Technology Development board had come out with several domestic solutions in a very short timescale to deal with different challenges arising due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
  • The Autonomous Institutions of DST contributing both to basic research and translational research significantly with several breakthroughs in different themes
  • Inter-ministerial collaboration developed 
 
 
Frequently Asked Questions on Department of Science & Technology (DST)
 
What is the Department of Science & Technology (DST)?
    • The DST is a government agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology responsible for promoting and nurturing science and technology across India.
What are the main roles and responsibilities of the DST?
    • The DST spearheads policy formulation, research funding, technological development, science education, and international collaboration in the S&T field.
What are the major achievements of the DST?
    • From funding cutting-edge research projects to enabling space missions and nurturing innovation ecosystems, the DST has contributed significantly to India\'s scientific and technological advancements. (Refer to my previous response for ongoing 2023 highlights)
How does the DST support research and development?
    • The DST provides grants, fellowships, and other financial assistance to researchers and institutions across various S&T disciplines.
What are the criteria for receiving DST funding?
    • The criteria vary depending on the specific funding programs but generally focus on scientific merit, societal relevance, and potential impact.
How can I apply for DST funding?
    • You can find details about various funding programs, eligibility criteria, and application procedures on the DST website: https://dst.gov.in/