Academia-industry should partner for patents: Expert

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 18

The Society for Promotion of Science and Technology in India (SPSTI) today organised a lecture on ‘Industry-Academia (I-A) R&D in India ... a way forward’ as part of its monthly lecture series. Prof Rupinder Tewari, co-ordinator, DST-Centre for Policy Research, Panjab University, was the key speaker.

Professor Tewari said at present, there was growing application of science and technology in developing new technologies to provide cost-effective solution to diverse problems around the world. India could take a quantum leap in generation of patents and technologies as it was among the top nations in publishing research papers, he said.

For this, there should be partnership between academia and industry and governments (Central and state) should provide funds for creation of I-A (industry-academia) clusters, web portals, incentivising institutes proactive in forging links with industries, establishing I-A chairs in select institutes, provision of I-A sabbatical leave for professors and laying down requisite policies/Acts/laws as prevalent in various developed countries.

In a study carried out by Prof Tewari’s DST Centre for Policy Research, it was revealed that state universities were major contributor of patents (granted) in India, even though they were financially starved. He said such universities should be incentivised by state and Central governments for strengthening translational research ecosystem.

The lecture was followed by discussion. The participants appreciated the role of alumni in several institutes such as IITs, ICT, Mumbai, and IISc-Bangalore in motivating the industry for carrying out research and development work.