ISLAMABAD: Neglect by successive governments have led to a number of problems for the Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST), which has been operating without a regular chairperson for 10 years, a parliamentary committee was informed on Monday.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology met in a committee room at the PCST for a session chaired by MNA Sajid Mehdi from the PML-N.

The committee was told by an official that the PCST has lacked continuity in leadership, and has no infrastructure at the provincial level which limits its capacity to perform some functions.

The official added that the PCST’s human and financial resources do not match its assigned functions and mandate or its expected achievements.

Total technical sanctioned strength of the Pakistan Council of Science and Technology is 21, whereas five are filled, official says

“The total technical sanctioned strength of the PCST is 21, whereas five are filled. The amount for research productivity award was Rs70 million in 2017 but it was reduced in 2019 to Rs2 million. The meeting of the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), chaired by the prime minister, has not been convened since December 2001,” he said.

The PCST was established in 1961 as the National Science Council under the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research. Its charter was revised and it was renamed the PCST under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1984.

The PCST was designated as the secretariat of the NCST. As a permanent member of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), the PCST plays a leading role in the formation of national science and technology policy.

The official said that the PCST takes measures for effective collaboration among academia, [research and development] organisations and industry to develop indigenous products and technologies.

It promotes quality R&D culture in the country, the evaluation of national research and development activities including the output of individuals and institutions for the award of financial support.

It is also engaged in promoting collaboration among national and international organisations for promotion and capacity building and science and technology to enter memorandums of understanding, contracts and so on, he added.

The committee was told that the PCST has conducted studies in information technology, energy, industry, education, health and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, environment, water, electronics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, marine resources, public health and sanitation, the automotive sector, minerals and robotics using methodology suggested by expert panels.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2020