Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday urged the government to simplify regulations to accelerate economic growth by making research and development (R&D) more accessible and

efficient. Singh observed that ”our scientific institutions are plagued with issues that are rooted in inconsistencies in recruitment rules, service conditions, retirement ages, etc, which

often vary in comparison to other civil servants and line ministries.” Advertisement This ambiguity, he noted, leads to administrative conflicts, particularly since members of the scientific

fraternity are engaged through a variety of modes such as national and international institutes, lateral entry, and deputation frameworks. Advertisement Dr Singh convened a high-level

Ease of Research.” “Simplification of administrative rules is crucial for India’s innovation-driven economic growth,” he said. Recognising his dual role as the Science and Technology

Minister and the Minister of DoPT, Dr Singh said he was fully aware of the administrative issues being faced by scientific departments. He took the initiative to bring all ministries

concerned onto the same page to resolve systemic bottlenecks and lay the groundwork for future policy reforms. He called for a shift away from the orthodox route, which takes a long time to

channel solutions, and instead urged the use of such breakthrough meetings to resolve issues in real time. During the meeting, the minister highlighted the government’s broader push for

administrative efficiency, citing the repeal of 1,600 obsolete laws aimed at simplifying procedures for the benefit of both citizens and the scientific community. Dr Singh emphasised,

“Administrative procedures should be as simple as possible. We need to move from rule to role, from rigidity to responsiveness, from delay to delivery.” Advertisement