Industrial Automation Magazine India

3M launches State of Science Index 2023, revealing Indians believe science and technology can improve their lives

Published on : Thursday 20-07-2023

People want to hear more from scientists, increase DE&I in skilled trades, address climate change and they believe EVs will play a major role for a sustainable future.

India, July 19, 2023 – Global science company 3M released the results of the sixth India 3M State of Science Index 2023 (SOSI 2023), a global science perception survey commissioned by 3M to explore global attitudes toward science, taking the pulse on how people think and feel about the field and its impact on the world around us. Data from the SOSI 2023 provides insights that enable organisations to anticipate future challenges and develop new innovations and solutions in response.

We are delighted to share the 3M State of Science Index 2023 India results. With 86% of Indians believing positive outcomes can be achieved if people stand up for and defend science – from solutions to climate change to improved public health and sustainable agriculture, the findings equip us with actionable insights so we can effectively build a future-proof business to make a positive impact on people, businesses, and indeed, on society at large, said Ramesh Ramadurai, Managing Director, 3M India Limited.

Diversity and inclusion foster innovation and collaboration, which are long-standing hallmarks of 3Ms culture. As a science-based company, 3M places special focus on addressing equity in STEM and skilled trades to support a diverse pipeline of talent for generations to come. This commitment, along with the companys efforts in community engagement, is an integral part of how 3M improves lives.

· According to the SOSI 2023 data, 91% of survey respondents in India believe that science has a critical role in improving the lives of the worlds most vulnerable populations and 92% (vs. 84% globally) want to hear what scientists think about societal issues.

· 86% (vs. 94% globally) of Indians believe positive outcomes can be achieved if people stand up for and defend science – from solutions to climate change, to improved public health and sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, 95% say schools should provide education around climate change for students as a core part of their science curriculum. This could potentially foster a passion for science and encourage future generations to start addressing climate change concerns at an early age.

· The same perception of the importance of STEM is shared across the board with 94% of Indians agreeing that STEM professionals can help solve the problems of tomorrow. 

· According to the survey, 91% of Indians believe the workforce in India needs more skilled trade workers urgently. This shortage could potentially come from how the community views the skilled trader workers. 80% (vs 56% globally) believe there is a negative stigma around being a skilled trade worker. This is further reiterated by 85% (vs 58% globally) of the respondents who say parents are discouraging their children from pursuing a skilled trade.

· 80% of the respondents say that if the country cannot find a solution to this shortage soon, there could be consequences such as negative economic impact, declines in overall quality of life, safety risks, neglected public infrastructure and supply chain challenges.

· Indians believe many transportation innovations are safe – including electric public transportation (95% vs 94% globally) and road systems that communicate with your car (95% vs 91% globally).

Understanding how people perceive science and its impacts plays a big role in improving the way we create and innovate solutions. As the future will be more dependent on scientific breakthroughs, the 3M State of Science Index survey across 17 countries is a testament of how 3M puts science at the center of everything we do, concluded 3M India Managing Director, Ramesh Ramadurai.