The origins of think tanks are rooted deep in history. It has served the Romans and the Greeks excellently in their functioning and day to day policy affairs. The Greek dramatist Aristophanes tells us that Socrates taught his pupils not only thievery and disregard of the law in his Athens ”workshop”, but also the fine art of turning weak arguments into strong ones. Think tanks are institutions of political research, analysis, and debate, and are generally non-profit, independent nongovernment organizations. They generally transfer the knowledge to the political arena and advice the government in various spheres, from foreign policy, to defense to internal affairs; it contributes in a wide range. Universities generally focus on teaching and basic research. It is the think tanks that help bridge the gap between the world of ideas and action. In today’s complex rapidly changing globalized world, the importance of think tanks have increased exponentially.And how is our dear country India performing as far as quality think tanks are concerned? The answer is a big zero! It is lagging behind by zillions of miles. Recently Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy sought to answer the question: ‘Can Indian think tanks and research institutions cope with the rising demand for foreign and security policy research?’ The answer was an emphatic ‘No.’ So you can easily guess the pathetic situation in which our country’s think tanks are at present. This is a serious concern. It is not that we do not have think tanks. According to a study by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, India is home to around 422 think tanks, next only to US. But problem with our Indian think tanks is their efficiency. Most of them are highly influenced by various ideologies and cannot give an independent opinion. Majority of their funding is done by the government and as the government change, the taste change also. The need of the hour is independent efficient think tanks which will be funded by a common fund irrespective of any government change at the center. And there should be a judicious mix of former bureaucrats and industry magnates. Unless different ideas clash, it will not result in proper idea generation. Autonomy is one more issue plaguing our Think Tanks. They should be made independent from political influence. Else the very idea of Think tank gets defeated.
Without think tanks India cannot match up with the big competitors like China, Brazil and South Africa. But to kick start the process of efficient think tanks our political system first need to appreciate the benefits of think tanks. But with so many goondas and uneducated crooks occupying the political space, the future look bleak. You cannot expect Mayawati and the Yadavs to appreciate the benefit of a think tank. But I am optimistic. We have lived optimistically since independence. We shall be able to live with it for years to come.
