Maarg Manthan · Topic 17.2

Technology Vision Document 2035

Science & Technology › Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India · Topic 17.2

Technology Vision 2035 is a roadmap prepared by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council, TIFAC, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, and released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2016 at the Indian Science Congress. It sets out how technology can help India reach a high quality of life, ensure security and build a strong economy by 2035. It covers twelve technology domains: education, medical sciences and healthcare, food and agriculture, water, energy, environment, habitats, transport, infrastructure, manufacturing, materials and information and communication technology. It names Technology Imperatives, Technology Pathways and enabling policy, with a focus on the common citizen, and builds on TIFAC's earlier Technology Vision 2020 of 1996, which Dr A P J Abdul Kalam led.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India

At a Glance

Prepared by TIFAC, DST
Released January 2016
Domains Twelve
Earlier vision Technology Vision 2020 (1996)
Focus Citizen centric
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of S&T policy resolutions. After the broad policies, it describes a concrete long term roadmap that links technology goals with sectors and citizens. Previous topic: S&T Policy Resolutions of 1958, 1983, 2003 and 2013. Next topic: Science and Technology as a Source of Human Resource Development.

What Is Technology Vision 2035?

Aspect	Details
Author	Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), set up in 1988 under the Department of Science and Technology
Release	Released by the Prime Minister on 2 January 2016 at the Indian Science Congress, Mysuru (Mysore)
Vision	Aims at a prosperous, secure and sustainable India in which every citizen has access to the benefits of technology
Method	Over 5,000 experts were consulted. It uses foresight to find technologies that India needs for 2035
Technology Imperatives	Twelve sector-wise goals, for example access to clean water, affordable health care, secure food and energy for all
Technology Pathways	Steps and technologies needed to reach the goals
Enablers	Policy, funding, skills, standards and infrastructure to support technology

What Are the Twelve Sectors and the Earlier Vision?

Education: learning for all with digital tools and skills
Medical sciences and healthcare: affordable diagnostics, drugs and devices
Food and agriculture: higher productivity with less water and inputs
Water: safe water for all, reuse and conservation
Energy: secure, clean and affordable energy
Environment: pollution control and climate resilience
Habitats: housing, cities and waste
Transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, materials, ICT: the other five domains

What Else Should You Remember?

Technology Vision 2020: a set of 17 reports prepared by TIFAC in 1996 under Dr Kalam as chairman
Foresight: systematic study of future technologies
Technology assessment: evaluation of the impacts of a technology
TIFAC programmes: Technology Business Incubators, the Mission REACH and Home Grown Technology schemes
Technology Development Board: finances commercialisation, as in Technology Development Board
Security: the vision identified national security as a theme across sectors
Common citizen: the vision looks at the needs of the poor, women and rural areas
Link with Atmanirbhar Bharat: its goals support self-reliance
Link with SDGs: many sectors match the Sustainable Development Goals
Digital India: ICT domain supports Digital India Initiative and E-Governance Programmes
NITI Aayog: a body that also plans technology priorities
Criticism: the vision lists goals but gives little cost and timeline detail
Implementation: ministries have to integrate its pathways into their plans
Need for updates: fast changes like artificial intelligence need regular review
Caution: release date details differ in some sources; remember January 2016
Link: policy background is in S&T Policy Resolutions of 1958, 1983, 2003 and 2013
Link to institutions: see Department of Science and Technology (DST)
Core message: technology should serve the common citizen first and not only industry or the state
TIFAC location: TIFAC is based in New Delhi at Vishwakarma Bhawan
TIFAC founding: it was set up in 1988 as an autonomous body
Foresight methods: Delphi surveys, scenario building and roadmaps are used
Inclusion: the vision highlights the needs of women, elderly and differently abled persons
Security domain: cyber, border and internal security needs are listed as cross-cutting issues
Examples of goals: safe drinking water for every household and affordable health care for all by 2035
Roadmap use: departments can use it while preparing five year plans and mission documents
Industrial link: companies can learn which technologies the nation will need and plan their research
Technology gaps: the vision notes gaps between existing Indian technology and the world best, and suggests priorities for closing them
Public participation: consultations with scientists, industry, civil society and young people shaped the final text
Sustainability: several pathways stress clean energy, circular use of materials and low pollution

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Author: TIFAC
Year: 2016
Domains: twelve
Current affairs link: new technology missions
Common errors: giving NITI Aayog or CSIR as author or 2020 as the year

As an analytical point, a vision document helps to align ministries and industry on common technology goals. Its value depends on regular updates, budgets and clear owners for each pathway.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Author TIFAC
Scope Twelve domains
Aim Citizen centric

What Came Next?

The next topic covers science and technology as a source of human resource development. Next topic: Science and Technology as a Source of Human Resource Development.

Key People and Terms

TIFAC Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council
Foresight Future-looking study
Imperative Goal needing action
Pathway Route to a goal
TBI Technology business incubator
DST Department of Science and Technology

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

TIFAC set up in 1988 under DST.
Vision 2035 released January 2016.
Twelve technology domains.
Vision 2020 in 1996, led by Kalam.
Over 5,000 experts consulted.

Do Not Confuse With

Vision 2020 and Vision 2035 1996 report series versus 2016 roadmap
TIFAC and TDB Forecasting versus financing
Imperative and pathway Goal versus route

Memory Hook

TIFAC forecasts, twelve domains, citizen first, year sixteen for thirty-five.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for author, year and sectors. These points help.

Aim Roadmap
Sectors Twelve
Gaps Implementation

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“What is Technology Vision 2035? Discuss its importance for India’s development planning.”

How to Answer

Author TIFAC.
Content Domains.
Use Planning.
Gaps Follow up.

GS Relevance

Prelims: who prepared it, release, sectors, TIFAC. GS Paper 3: science and technology planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Technology Vision 2035?

Technology Vision 2035 is a roadmap prepared by TIFAC under the Department of Science and Technology and released in January 2016. It sets goals and pathways for twelve technology sectors, so that technology can improve the lives of citizens, strengthen security and support economic growth by 2035.

Which body prepared Technology Vision 2035?

The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council, TIFAC, prepared it. TIFAC is an autonomous organisation of the Department of Science and Technology, set up in 1988 to assess technology trends, do foresight studies and advise the Government on technology choices.

Which sectors does Technology Vision 2035 cover?

It covers twelve technology domains: education, medical sciences and healthcare, food and agriculture, water, energy, environment, habitats, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, materials, and information and communication technology. Security is a recurring theme, and each sector has goals and pathways for citizens.

What was Technology Vision 2020?

Technology Vision 2020 was a set of reports prepared by TIFAC in 1996, with Dr A P J Abdul Kalam as chairman of the exercise. It looked at the technologies needed in 17 areas, and its work later inspired the idea of India as a developed nation by 2020.

Who released Technology Vision 2035?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released it in January 2016 at the Indian Science Congress held in Mysuru. The Union Minister of Science and Technology and officials of TIFAC and the Department of Science and Technology took part in the release.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Technology Vision 2035 was prepared by TIFAC.

True

Under DST.

2 It covers five technology domains.

False

It covers twelve.

3 Technology Vision 2020 was prepared in 1996.