National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 2019 Government of Nepal Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2019 Contents 1. Background ........................................................................................................ 1 2. Efforts Made So Far and Achievements .......................................................... 2 3. Problems and Challenges ................................................................................... 3 4. Necessity of the Policy ....................................................................................... 4 5. Long Term Vision and Mission .......................................................................... 5 6. Objectives .......................................................................................................... 6 7. Policies .............................................................................................................. 6 8. Strategies ........................................................................................................... 8 9. Work Plan ........................................................................................................ 12 10. Areas of Priority ............................................................................................. 19 11. Institutional Arrangement .............................................................................. 19 12. Financial Aspect ............................................................................................ 20 13. Legal Provision .............................................................................................. 20 14. Provision on Monitoring and Assessment ...................................................... 21 15. Grounds of Enforcing the Policy .................................................................... 22 16. Repeal and Saving.......................................................................................... 22 Appendix 1 .......................................................................................................... 23 1. Background Science and technology are considered as the major catalyst power of social transformation and economic development. The use of science and technology has become effective in maintaining quality life standard and the good governance as well as reinforcing the security. Experiences in the developed countries have shown that prosperity of any country is measured on the basis of the policy adopted by the country on science and technology, its implementation as a whole, political commitment expressed in that regard, investment in research and development and the socio- economic progress made from it. With the historical changes in the country, it is necessary to ensure that the country's rapid and sustainable development and making of a socialism-oriented country, research based quality education, use of innovative technology in the productive sectors, developing such environment for the scientific talents to carry out research, opportunity to exhibit inventions, ensuring enhancement of the entrepreneurship. Hence, for this, institutional re-structuring of the existing research-based institutions, development of a conducive environment for scientific research and technology and assurance of the state's investment in research and development are essential. The Constitution of Nepal has linked science and technology with the country's overall and sustainable development. Accordingly, this policy has been formulated/drafted, thereby making the timely amendments to the existing policy, with an objective of boosting investment in scientific studies, research and progress and development of science and technology, protecting technical and outstanding talents and to achieve the goal of sustainable development by optimum 1 utilization of rapid development in technology as well as to achieve the national goal of "Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali". 2. Efforts Made So Far and Achievements Nepal does not have a long history in science and technology compared to other countries in the world. A separate ministry named as the Ministry of Science and Technology was established in 2053 BS (1996 AD) and since then efforts have been made for institutional development by keeping the science and technology in priority. Many of those established bodies are in operation. Following the establishment of that Ministry, National Science and Technology Policy came into force in 2061 BS (2005 AD), National Nuclear Policy came into force in 2064 BS (2007 AD) and Directives for Regulating Nuclear Elements came into force in 2072 BS (2015 AD). After transformation of the country's governance system into the federal structure, responsibility of science and technology has been entrusted to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the Federation and to the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment at the provincial level. Infrastructure and opportunities required for higher education in different sectors of science and technology have been made available in the country and hence, capacity of producing human resource has been enhanced. Likewise, novel knowledge and technology have been applied successfully in the sector of forest, agriculture, energy and health that has extended the service being provided. Nepal has acquired an international identity in community forest and small hydro power projects and has achieved an encouraging success on improved seeds, unseasonal vegetables, poultry farming and fishery, eye treatment and organ transplantation. The Constitution has guaranteed citizen's right to clean environment, food security and nutrition, and housing, thereby, t widening the limits of science and technology development. 2 Despite of these institutional and policy efforts have been made in the sector of science and technology, no achievements have been made so far as for accelerating the pace of socio-economic development of the country. 3. Problems and Challenges The following are the problems and challenges in the science and technology sector: 3.1 Problems: The problems include, but not limited to, lack of policy, legal and institutional infrastructures for development of science and technology; slackness in the policy implementation; no investment with required infrastructure and favourable environment for the development of scientific research and technology development; no linkage of the researches carried out by the universities and the academies with entrepreneurship and commercial production; less disciplinary experts, competent and dedicated human resources; brain drain of available human resources to abroad because they could not be utilized in the country; lack of establishment of a network for cooperation and partnership development between the bodies involved in research activities; no easy legal provision for operation and management of research institutions and professional institutions; ineffective cooperation with the private sector for science and technology development. 3.2 Challenges: The challenges faced include but not limited to, concentrate science, technology and innovation in production, productivity enhancement and entrepreneurship; scientific research for promotion and progress of the sectors of national priority; to 3 create such an environment for science and technology development and overall use of novel technology; to make scientific research and development sustainable and result oriented by developing infrastructures and increasing investment; to develop scientists, experts and skilled technical human resource in different disciplines who can assist in scientific research activities; to strengthen, reform and restructure the scientific research-based bodies in conformity with the federalism; to connect scientific research with appropriate technology development, technology development with entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship with production by creating an environment of cooperation and partnership between the academic and industrial enterprises; to stop the brain drain by retaining the country's skilled and expert talents in the country; to make scientific researches result-oriented through brain circulation of skilled human resource working abroad. 4. Necessity of the Policy The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy is necessary because of the following reasons: 4.1 For invention, progress and development of scientific research technology in accordance with the constitutional provisions and for protection of the intellectual talents as well as for socio-economic transformation of the country through the development of technology and optimum use of scientific research for implementation of the fundamental rights particularly the right to clean environment, the right to education, the right to health and the right to food; 4.2 For development and extension of technology and maximum utilization of novel technology strengthening the scientific research based bodies in line with 4 the federal structure and maintaining the provincial balance as well as to create a conducive environment for increasing investment through cooperation and coordination among those bodies; 4.3 To implement the periodic and the long-term plans related to the development, thereby assisting in the socio-economic development; 4.4 To achieve the sustainable development goals, in the context where the role of innovation is increasing along with the science and technology, by utilizing the novel and cutting edge technology developed through the scientific