New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) The number of scientists leaving the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for greener pastures has gone down - a development that is being linked to the economic meltdown.
In information given to parliament, Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said the number of scientists leaving DRDO has declined during the last two years. DRDO is India’s military research body.

“Attrition of scientists has reduced in the last two years,” Antony said in a written reply to Lok Sabha Monday.

DRDO, which celebrates its golden jubilee this year, lost around 1,100 scientists between 2003 and 2007, implying that on an average one person left every two days.

In the year 2006, about 322 junior scientists resigned from the DRDO and in 2007 the figure was 273. However, in 2008 the number came down to 150 and in 2009 only 61 scientists have put in their papers.

“Scientists who had resigned have indicated personal or domestic grounds as the reasons for leaving DRDO. However, it is assumed that increased opportunities available in private sector industries were the main reasons behind such exodus,” said Antony.

The attrition rate in DRDO, which has 7,000 scientists, has been about 6.3 percent. And what was making the situation worse was that the organisation was able to fill up only 60-70 percent of its vacancies.

DRDO scientists are in great demand in the private sector and find jobs in areas like aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles manufacture, electronics, instrumentation engineering systems, missiles, materials, naval systems, advance computing, simulation and life sciences.

Sources in DRDO attribute the considerable decline in the number of scientists leaving to recession.

“Since recession has hit the market the number of scientists leaving has come down. The DRDO is also taking measures to stem the outflow,” a senior DRDO official told IANS Tuesday.

The defence ministry has also got its act together to stem the exodus.

“The Sixth Pay Commission has recommended a number of incentives for scientists, which have been accepted and implemented by the government.

“The DRDO has also made efforts to enhance their career by providing study leave for acquiring higher qualifications and sponsoring scientists for attending conferences, seminars, symposia, short and long term training courses in frontier areas of research within the country and abroad, mentoring of young scientists, creating better working environment and social life in living campuses,” the defence minister added.