The 11th Akhila Karnataka Vijnana Sammelana, a convention on science, concluded here on Sunday and saw the passing of a resolution demanding both the Union and State governments to promote study and research on basic sciences.
The three-day event was organised by the Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat. Girish Kadlewada, honorary secretary of the parishat, presented the resolutions at the valedictory ceremony. The sammelana has demanded that the government release ample funds to establish well-equipped science laboratories at primary and high schools and at pre-university colleges.
Mr. Kadlewada said that at present, the annual allocation on education in terms of percentage of Gross Domestic Production (GDP) is 4%. It should be enhanced to 10% to ensure availability of ample funds for study and research on basic sciences, he said.
The sammelana has also adopted resolutions demanding that the government take measures to ensure remunerative prices for agriculture produce, enforce laws to curb the usage of plastic in an effective manner, and upgrade the quality of health services at primary health centres.
M.K. Naik, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, who delivered the valedictory address, said that India’s spending on research and development in terms of percentage of GDP has remained stagnant at around 0.8 over the past two decades. In 2017, India was placed 131st in the Human Development Index (HDI). He said that nations like Norway, Australia and the United States have impressive HDI records because of ample spending on education and R&D.
“India should realise that spending on education and R&D should be enhanced and an ecosystem conducive to study and research on science should be created at educational institutions to improve its HDI ranking and propel economic growth,” he said.