Statement I: Private investments in research have severely lagged publ

Statement I: Private investments in research have severely lagged public investments in India.
Statement II: Universities play a relatively small role in the research activities of the country.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2018
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.
– Statement I is true: Historically and generally, private sector investment in Research and Development (R&D) in India has lagged behind public investment, with government-funded institutions and PSUs accounting for a larger share of national R&D expenditure. While the private sector’s contribution is increasing, public investment traditionally dominated.
– Statement II is true: Compared to many developed countries where universities are major hubs of research and innovation, Indian universities have traditionally played a relatively smaller role in contributing to the overall R&D output and expenditure, with much research concentrated in government labs.
– While both statements accurately describe aspects of the Indian R&D ecosystem, the small role of universities doesn’t directly explain why *private* investment lags *public* investment. Public investment primarily occurs through government research institutions. The lag in private investment is influenced by factors like market size, regulatory environment, availability of skilled personnel, and access to finance for R&D.