Urgent action required to retain talent in R

New Delhi, Nov 4 (UNI) Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today rued the lack of interest shown by talented youth in opting for careers in research and education, and urged research bodies to take urgent action to attract and retain bright candidates.

Speaking at the foundation day function of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) here, he advised ICAR and ASRB to devise proactive recruitment policies, learn best practices from international organisations and update their assessment methodologies.

"ASRB should not remain confined to only recruitment and promotion but must act as a think tank to help the ICAR and the government in evolving policies for science and technology departments," the minister opined.

Further with globalisation affecting all walks of life, finding the right people and retaining them was becoming a challenge.

"Selection and methodologies cannot remain unchanged and have to conform to the best practices that are in vogue in other national and international science organisations," Mr Pawar said.

For this to happen, he said, accreditation for recruitment agencies will have to be put in place, adding that there was a lot to be learnt from organisations such as the U N Staff College, which is in the forefront in evolving such practices that facilitate accreditation.

ASRB, being one of the earliest such agencies, must work for it, and should become an ISO certified body, he said.

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