Indian Scientific Service (ISS)

Context

The proposal for an Indian Scientific Service (ISS) has gained significant momentum following the Economic Survey 2025-26. As India transitions toward "Deep-Tech" and AI-first governance, high-level meetings of the Empowered Technology Group have underscored the urgent need for a specialized cadre to handle increasingly complex technical policy decisions.

What is the Indian Scientific Service (ISS)?

The ISS is envisioned as a permanent, all-India specialized cadre of scientists and technocrats. Unlike the generalist Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the ISS would:

Direct Integration: Place scientific expertise directly into the decision-making hierarchy of ministries.
Specialized Service Rules: Operate under rules that prioritize scientific integrity and peer review over traditional administrative neutrality.
Modern Career Path: Provide a structured trajectory for researchers to influence policy without the constraints of colonial-era bureaucratic rules (CCS Conduct Rules 1964).

Key Trends in India’s S&T

Global Innovation: India climbed to 38th rank in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, leading lower-middle-income nations for 15 years.
R&D Expenditure: Despite progress, India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) stagnates at 0.64% of GDP, trailing behind the US (3.48%) and South Korea (4.91%).
Patent Growth: Applications nearly doubled between 2020 and 2025; India now ranks 6th globally.
Mission Mode: The operationalization of the National Quantum Mission (₹6,003 crore) and the IndiaAI Mission marks a shift from services to high-end hardware and Intellectual Property (IP) creation.

The Need for a Dedicated ISS

Complexity of Modern Governance: Generalists often lack the technical depth to regulate fields like Biotechnology or AI.
- Example: Drafting the Digital India Act 2025 required a nuanced understanding of algorithmic bias.
Bridging the "Valley of Death": India struggles to move lab research (TRL 1-3) to market-ready products (TRL 7-9). Specialized oversight is needed to scale technologies like Green Hydrogen.
Scientific Integrity: Currently, scientists can be penalized for presenting evidence that contradicts official policy. An ISS would provide legal protection to "speak truth to power."
- Example: Documenting environmental warnings during Himalayan ecological crises often faces bureaucratic resistance.
Scientist-Diplomats: Negotiating global supply chains (e.g., semiconductors) requires negotiators who understand lithography and material sciences at a granular level.

Challenges to Implementation

Generalist vs. Specialist Friction: Potential "turf wars" between IAS and ISS officers regarding seniority and authority.
Lateral Entry Resistance: Systemic pushback from traditional services against bringing in mid-career experts.
Salary Parity: Difficulty attracting top talent from the private sector or Silicon Valley due to rigid government pay scales.
Boundary Definition: Balancing where purely scientific advice ends and political/economic policy begins.

Way Forward

Pilot Cadres: Start by establishing the Indian Environmental & Ecological Service and Indian Public Health Service.
Structural Protection: Legally mandate that scientific assessments be part of the official record, even if the final policy differs.
Dynamic Pay: Implement performance-linked incentives to prevent "brain drain" to global tech giants.
Joint Training: Conduct collaborative sessions at LBSNAA (Mussoorie) for IAS and ISS officers to foster a "Whole-of-Government" approach.

Conclusion

The creation of the ISS is the final step in India’s transition from a colonial administrative state to a modern, technology-driven power. By institutionalizing expertise, India can ensure that its policies are not just efficient, but scientifically sound and future-proof.

Indian Scientific Service (ISS)