Manpower requirements in biotechnology and strategies to achieve them - international and Indian experiences

Abstract

Commercialisation of biotechnology (BT) depends on manpower with specific skills and high science based knowledge. This is due to some of the inherent qualities of biotechnology, like high rates of obsolescence, R&D intensive nature, skill dependence, limited amenability to automation of procedures, need for constant monitoring of structures, etc., and it is further reinforced by the behaviour of companies commercialising BT in the developed world. To acquire this important resource for successful commercialisation and industrial competitiveness, various strategies have been adopted by different firms, States, or as a combined effort of both with academic institutions. The strategies could range from identification of areas of skills in which shortfalls either occur or could occur and efforts taken to generate these skills, adapt existing related skills by orienting to new demands or automating that part of the operation. In this paper, Indian experience has been elaborated after overviewing international experiences and areas of strengths and weaknesses identified, along with strategies to combat envisaged shortfalls in certain specialists by 2000 A.D., have been suggested.