Drivers of Academic Research and Patenting in India: Econometric Estimation of the Research Production Function

In this paper we attempt to provide a comprehensive understanding of the drivers ofacademic research and patenting in India. Academic research is conceptualised as aresearch production process where research inputs (like research time and number ofresearch scholars) are transformed into research outputs in the form of publicationsand patents. We expect research inputs by a faculty member to be an outcome ofhis/her own decision-making process, which in turn determine his/her researchoutputs. Exogenous parameters, like faculty background, faculty attitude, researchsponsorship and institutional factors, are expected to influence both set of endogenousvariables (research inputs and outputs). We specify this production function as arecursive simultaneous equation model and estimate the structural parameters usingstandard econometric methods. Our results clearly identify several drivers ofacademic research and patenting in India, in terms of faculty background, facultyattitude and other parameters, from which we arrive at concrete policy lessons forpatenting of academic research in India. In particular, we argue that putting in placeinstitutional structures will not serve the purpose without addressing the fundamentalissues of research environment, culture and attitude in the first place. In a sense,therefore, introducing an IPR legislation alone may not act as an instant magicformula to energise Indian academic research for commercial application.