India�s scientists and engineers: Strong only numerically!

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India�s scientists and engineers: Strong only numerically!

The World Economic Forum�s latest Competitiveness Index ranks India fourth in terms of the number of engineers and scientists. But in terms of quality of scientific research, it is ranked 22nd. The implications are obvious.

CJ: Ravi Kant

Fri, Feb 15, 2008 17:30:57 IST

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India News :

INDIA BOASTS of a large number of scientists and engineers – so much so that only three other countries of the world are ahead of it. According to the Competitiveness Index recently released by the World Economic Forum, India ranks 4th in terms of the number of scientists and engineers available. But it slips to 22nd when ranked by quality of scientific research. It further slips to 28th when ranked by innovative potential.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released the competitiveness index concerning 134 countries. The 134 countries have been indexed by potential competitiveness and business competitiveness. India is ranked 48th by global competitiveness and 31st by business competitiveness. Our nearest competitor, China, is ranked 34th by global competitiveness and 57th by business competitiveness. Surprisingly, India is ahead of China in business competitiveness. But it is no surprise that despite the heavy odds against it, in view of what its financial sector has been witnessing lately, USA has managed to secure the top position in terms of the two criteria. The two indexes, namely, the Global Competitiveness Index and the Business Competitiveness Index, are based on 12 parameters, called pillars of competitiveness.

The 12 pillars are classified under three broad groups and each country has been rated in line with its strengths and weaknesses. The 12-pillar groupings are as follows:

(I) Basic requirements: (4 pillars)

Institutions
Infrastructure
Macroeconomic stability
Health and primary education

(II) Efficiency enhancers: (6 pillars)

Higher education and training
Goods market efficiency
Labour market efficiency
Financial market sophistication
Technological readiness
Market size

(III) Innovation and sophistication factors: (2 pillars)

Business sophistication
Innovation

Our position in terms of the size of the domestic market (sale and purchase within the country constitutes the domestic market) and forex market (export constitutes forex market) is fair enough. It is good news to companies, which want a bigger market to sell their products in. India ranks 3rd in terms of domestic market and 4th in terms of the size of the foreign market. Our burgeoning population and the ever-increasing consumerism has ensured a higher ranking in terms of domestic market.

Our performance in the area of government deficit (125th), health indicators (125th), total tax rate (116th) and job-related hiring and firing (102nd) is dismal. Poor fiscal management by government in India resulting from populist measures is the root cause of government deficit. It is certainly disturbing since we are ahead of only 13 countries in the world. In the coming (election) year, the government will introduce new populist measures, which may worsen the government deficit. Poor performance in the area of health shows that a lot of measures and initiative is required. Community health services have to strengthen in all villages and small towns.

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