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DRDO waking up to the brain drain?

BANGALORE: Factors such as lack of original work, restricted promotional avenues, red tape, mediocre salaries and ample opportunities in the private sector have made it difficult for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories to attract and retain the best scientific and engineering talent. This is reflected in the fact that over the past decade, 1,404 scientists have put in their papers.

To stem the rot, and more importantly to put in place adequate tools to determine a scientist’s potential, DRDO has began an analysis of fresh scientists and an assessment of the performance of the present staff under “Predictive Techniques” that includes use of psychological tools.

Under the “Predictive Techniques,” a candidate / scientist’s qualities and abilities will be analysed as hard bio-data and soft bio-data. While the hard one will mean degrees secured, marks obtained and other educational related facts that are quantifiable and relative to the post on offer, the soft bio-data will encompass cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

Again, while cognitive skills will mean strengths such as leadership qualities, the non-cognitive aptitude includes aspects such as motivation and the ability to take speedy and effective decisions.

The norms for the “Predictive Techniques” are being evolved by the Defence Institute of Psychological Research.

The “Predictive Techniques” are being practised in the Defence Service Selection Boards (SSBs), where trained interviewing officers and group testing officers, independent of each other and without compromising the likelihood of the results (clearing or failing the candidate), recruit candidates for the armed forces. Candidates are tested under group techniques, psychological techniques and interviewing techniques.

In the SSBs, psycho-analysis of personality is done independent of the written exam. DRDO hopes that it will be able to replicate this system. But it will first have to put in place a system of trained assessors.

DRDO’s new thinking fits in with the organisation’s decision to move from the concept of process research to one of more product research. Chairman of the DRDO’s Recruitment and Assessment Centre K.V. Raghavan told The Hindu that if DRDO was to compete with the best in the world in terms of products, it should evolve a system and a brand name that would attract the best. “Predictive Techniques” was part of this evolving system.

Dr. Raghavan said that while the soft bio-data skills of new candidates will be assessed from the April 2008 recruitments, the norms for the existing senior scientists (at the levels of E and F), which will determine their promotions, are being evolved. Hard bio-data analysis was already on.

As part of the “Predictive techniques” analysis, DRDO had decided to implement from April 2008 a multi-attributes assessment system for promotions among senior scientists (Scientist D, E and F). Under this system, the organisation would give importance to a scientist’s managerial abilities, personal strengths, knowledge and professional achievements.

Dr. Raghavan said other measures that DRDO was contemplating was performance-linked pay and perks, contracts, a six-month sabbatical, higher education and special allowances for certain field postings.

If the performance-based incentive for scientists is accepted, it could mean a three-fold rise in salaries, with the wage bill that is now 25-30 per cent of the DRDO budget of Rs.5,000-6,000 crore, going up substantially.

DRDO, which has a scientists’ strength of 7,500 (25 per cent of the total strength of 29,000), recruits around 400 young scientists every year.

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