Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

772 Eric Trisl
at Delhi reflects the influence of British models. Other management schools
combining research and post-graduate teaching, such as that in Bombay, have
been established entirely by Indian interests. In view of the crucial importance
of making more rapid progress with industrialization the need is great to obtain
through research a better understanding of its requirements under Indian conditions.
27. There are a number of research centres directly under the control either
of the Central Government or State Governments - notably in anthropology
and agricultural economics. In anthropology, the Department of Anthropology
of the Central Government is responsible for conducting surveys of population
trends (internal migrations, living conditions of refugees, new settlements, community
development) and of social structure (with particular attention to the
distribution and organization of tribes). State Governments have their ‘tribal
research institutes’, for example, in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal,
Bihar. The focus of this research is on the development, dispersal and integration
of the tribes which, since independence and before, have posed major problems
for social policy, both centrally and locally. Policy considerations also led to
priority being given to the creation of agro-economic research centres in East,
North-East and Western India, or Madhya Pradesh, etc.
28. A number of economists are employed in Government Departments in
economic planning, while social scientists from other fields assist in the preparation
of welfare policies. Such personnel are also to be found in public corporations
and in private enterprises and associations. Much of the social research
activities of the latter, however, are carried out on a contract basis by external
institutes. Despite these activities there has been considerable criticism of the
attitudes of user-organizations. This criticism has centred on the view that even
where research and development (notably in the natural sciences and technology)
are encoyraged government and industry alike have been reluctant to
make use of the results achieved. Initiatives in the posing of problems, etc. are
left to scientific institutions. Little attempt is made to form effective links between
researchers and users. The consequence has been characterized :by S.
Dedijer as the tendency for ‘applied’ research to become ‘pure’ for the want of
applicati0n.9~ Behind this tendency lie pervasive attitudes stemming from the
traditional culture.
29. Estimates given by S. Dedijer for total expenditure (public and private)
on all research and development (including the social sciences) show an overall
figure for India of 0. I % of GNP. In respect of manpower the Unesco Research
Centre gave the following breakdown for 1963 :
Research workers
Economics
Social statistics
Anthropology (social and cultural)
‘Social sciences’
Political science
Sociology
Demography
Psychology