India jumps to 3rd rank in global list for scientific publications

India has jumped to the third position in the global ranking for scientific publications, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh has said.

He disclosed on Sunday that according to the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 report of the United States, India’s position globally in scientific publications, has improved from seventh position in 2010 to third position in 2020.

The number of papers submitted by Indian scientists has more than doubled from 60,555 in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020.

The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

The minister said India now ranks third in terms of number of PhDs in science and engineering.

He said the number of patents granted to Indian scientists at India Patent Office (IPO) during the last three years has also increased from 2,511 in 2018-19 to 4,003 in 2019-20 and 5,629 in 2020-21.

Lauding India’s scientific fraternity for its consistent efforts, Singh gave all credit to an enabling milieu and freedom of working provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A senior official said that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) was likely to get 20 per cent higher allocation in the upcoming Union Budget 2023-24 in comparison to last year.

In the last budget, the DST received Rs 6,002 Crore, which was 42 per cent of the total fund of Rs 14,217 Crore allocated to the Ministry of Science and Technology.