India's Five-Year Plans integrated science and technology (S&T) initiatives
to drive national development, from establishing premier research
institutions to promoting self-reliance in various sectors. While the focus
and specific programs evolved with each plan, the overarching goal
remained to apply scientific knowledge for the benefit of the people. [1, 2,
3, 4, 5]
First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956) Though primarily focused on agriculture,
this plan laid the groundwork for technical education by establishing
foundational S&T institutions.
• Key institutions established: Five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
were founded by 1956 to produce highly trained engineers and
technologists. IIT Kharagpur was the first of these, established in 1951.
• Other initiatives: The University Grants Commission (UGC) was
established to oversee funding for higher education, including technical
and scientific fields. [7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961) This plan shifted focus toward rapid
industrialization, with an emphasis on heavy and basic industries, which
accelerated S&T-driven development.
• Key institutions and programs:
• The Atomic Energy Commission was established in 1957 under the
leadership of Homi J. Bhabha to oversee the country's nuclear program.
• The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research was developed as a
key research institute.
• Initiatives were taken for the improvement of existing technical
institutions like the IITs and Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs).
• Scholarship programs were introduced to identify and train
talented young students for careers in the nuclear sector.
• Industrial development: Steel plants were set up in Bhilai, Durgapur, and
Rourkela, with technological assistance from other countries. [12, 13, 14,
15, 16]
Third Five-Year Plan (1961–1966) Aiming for a "self-reliant" and "self-
generating" economy, this plan sought to consolidate previous S&T gains,
although it was hampered by military conflicts and drought.
• Institutional support: The Planning Commission consulted a "Panel of
Scientists" to advise on S&T matters.
• Technological advance: The plan's objectives were intended to give more
precise content to the country's goals of industrial growth and scientific
advance.
• Challenges: The failures of this plan due to external factors led to a
period of "Plan Holidays," which shifted development priorities. [17, 18,
19, 20, 21]
Fourth Five-Year Plan (1969–1974) This plan focused on growth with
stability and correcting wealth concentration. It saw the Green Revolution
take firm root, heavily driven by S&T.
• Green Revolution: India benefited from the introduction of high-yield
crop varieties developed by Norman Borlaug and supported by the Ford
Foundation. This technology, combined with improved irrigation and
fertilizers, dramatically increased food production.
• Education and manpower: An emphasis was placed on improving the
quality and standard of technical education by expanding programs in
institutions like IITs and NITs. [1, 23, 24, 25, 26]
Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974–1979) Launched during a period of economic
crisis, this plan focused on poverty alleviation and achieving self-reliance,
with S&T playing a supporting role in defense and agricultural production.
• Electricity Supply Act: An amendment in 1975 empowered the central
government to take a more active role in power generation and
transmission.
• National Highway System: The expansion of the Indian national highway
system required new technologies in road construction and civil
engineering. [2, 28]
Beyond the Fifth Plan S&T remained integral to subsequent plans, with
continuous institutional development and policy refinement.
• CSIR's expanding role: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) continued to play a pivotal role, aligning its research programs with
national objectives throughout the plans. Notable achievements include
developing an indigenous tractor (Swaraj) and software for bioinformatics
("Bio-Suite").
• Later policies: Subsequent decades saw the introduction of broader S&T
policies, including:
• The Technology Policy Statement of 1983, which focused on
technological competence and self-reliance.
• The Science and Technology Policy of 2003, emphasizing
investment in research and development.
• The Science Technology & Innovation Policy of 2013, which aimed
to make S&T-based careers more attractive to young talent. [1, 4, 29, 30,
31]
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