'More investment needed in education, research and development' - The New Indian Express

To address the huge disparities in India, the country should invest more in education and R&D, said Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Vikram Sarabhai Science School in Kochi on Saturday, he said that the development gap is glaringly visible in India. "The country is witnessing huge disparities in the developmental front. A large number of people still depend on agriculture. But the contribution of agriculture to the GDP is disturbingly shrinking. Our current account deficit is also becoming problematic. We should make innovations in science and technology in such a way that it can address the burning challenges in the society", he said.  The top scientist pointed out that science and technology should  be used for the benefit of the society, including  improving human development indices. "This aspect is very important in India. Climate change and depletion of natural resources are the major problems faced by us. Science should help address these challenges", he said. Kakodkar added that it is very crucial to inculcate a scientific temperament among the youth to tackle the challenges faced by the country. "We need to mentor our youth to be innovative. Learning and doing science are important. But the crucial aspect is to create a capacity for innovation. The youth should be able to carry out advanced research. The government should provide the right ambience to students. A well organised education system can create right opportunities", he said. Yannick D'Ecastha, former president of the French Space Agency, delivered the inaugural speech. "Science should help protect life on earth, in the context of challenges like climate change. It is extremely important to develop a scientific temperament among students. Most of the students now opt for courses like IT instead of pure sciences. They should be taught about the beauty and possibilities of science", he said. He also added that India and France are increasingly entering into strategic co-operations. Madhavan Nair, former chairman of the ISRO,  said that mainstream education largely aims to produce clerks. via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFyDbVmnNu4vA1fQXj8wiLtV1nS2Q&url=http://newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/More-investment-needed-in-education-research-and-development/2013/06/02/article1616381.ece

Put the internet to work for you. via Personal Recipe 2954071