Changing Trends in Parliamentary Deliberations on Science and Technology Policy

954-976In this paper an attempt has been made to throw light on the governance of Parliament on the policy issues of science in the making of S&T policy of the country. This has been studied through an examination of the S&T related issues deliberated at various forums of the Parliament. An overall view of the nature and trend of S&T issues deliberated in the Parliament reveals that throughout the years, since independence, almost all types of S&T related issues have been taken up for discussions at various forums of the Parliament. The issues have ranged right from the significance of the role of S&T in the fulfil ment of various socio-economic objectives, resources for the development of S&T, priority areas for research , social environment for research in the research institutions, technology development capabilities, strength of linkages between the industry and the research institutions, technology development and its utilization, international co-operation in S&T, etc. However, it has been observed that the proportion of discussions on various S&T policy-related issues deliberated over the period of time, since independence, have not remained static throughout, but has shown variations in the trend of S&T related issues discussed. Henceforth, in this paper, changing trends in the S&T related issues deliberated in the Parliament have been studied by considering: (i) The course which the developments in S&T have adopted, since independence, (ii) The political structure and the party in power having its specific ideology for the development of science along with the commitment of the political leadership to the role of science in the fulfilment of socio-economic objectives of the nation. The study, in turn, has suggested for various reforms in the Parliamentary institutions: (i) For the more effective participation of Members of Parliament in the Parliamentary deliberations on S&T related issues, and (ii) In influencing S&T policy decisions of the government in the larger interests