DRDO flush with funds, faces shortage of scientists

Shortage of good scientists and not paucity of funds is preventing the premier Defence Research and Development Organisation from carrying forward several key strategic projects, its chief M Natarajan has said.

The organisation has now turned to universities to tap talent at an early stage and wants the students to commit at least three years for research with defence laboratories. Natarajan said five research boards to assess research proposals for the DRDO have been operational for the last three years but very few match the standards set up by them. "Though the boards have been operational for the last three years, there has been very little off-take," he said at the 95th Indian Science Congress here on Thursday evening.

The DRDO Director General asked students gathered for the annual event to look up to defence research as a career option asking them to commit at least three years for it. "There is no dearth of funds but we face an acute paucity of scientists," said Natarajan, who was honoured with the C V Raman Centenary Award.

Defence projects have a long gestation period which require a minimum of 10 years of dedicated research. As per the budget estimates for 2007-08, defence has been allocated Rs 96,000 crores of which 6.6 per cent is set aside for the DRDO.

Courtesy:thehindu.com
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