Guest column: Need to foster balanced role for think tanks in policy-making

The rising role of think tanks in policy-making has sparked intense debates recently due to a new class of politicians seeking to incorporate experts representing specific ideologies or thought processes into the governance framework. They blame traditional politics and bureaucratic procedures for systemic issues and claim and explicitly acknowledge the research, development, and promotion of policies carried out by think tanks and expert groups to meet the rising aspirations of society.

Think tanks bring together diverse groups of scholars and experts to gather information and conduct research on specific issues and ideas. Their areas of focus range from social, public, economic and educational policies to health, agriculture, food, technology and sociocultural issues.

The term “think tank” originally referred to the Research and Development Corporation (RAND), a non-partisan American global policy organisation that dealt with a wide array of problems and policies, including those for industries, national security, military and defence, aerospace international interest.

The think tanks are mainly non-profit organisations (NPOs) set up for scholarly work, provide platforms for debates and discussions, and are expected to work transparently with full accountability, which is questioned these days. Think tanks may be ideological, specialist, sub-national, practical or “think and do” groups. The locations and organisational goals are also sometimes the basis of the categorisation of some think tanks.

From 1930 to present day

In India, the first think tank, namely the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics was set up in Pune in 1930. Thereafter, a number of tanks have come up, and the present number is about 280. The University of Pennsylvania survey noted a dramatic rise in think tanks in India since the mid-2000s. The spurt in think tanks is an outcome of globalisation, the imperatives of which required deeper understanding, and strategic planning, particularly for balancing the concerns of nationalism in the developing world.

Several Indian think tanks have gained global recognition, including the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis, the Centre for Civil Society, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, The Energy and Resources Institute, the Observer Research Foundation, the Centre for Policy Research, and the Delhi Policy Group. Many of these organisations receive funding from governments, international donors, corporate entities, and tech giants like Reliance, Mahindras, Infosys, WIPRO, Google, and Facebook.

The support from the government and corporate sector is a good initiative to develop a think tank eco-systems that promotes policy research fully embedded in countries’ contextual requirements. Such a system should pride itself on producing objective, fact-based, nonpartisan research and policy recommendations. The reports about some invisible tanks operating without clear accountability or transparency and their influence on appointments and placements of top policy functionaries in government and even government-supported think tanks have, however, changed the discourse.

Even the Policy Change Initiative (PCI) earlier and the NITI Aayog now have been critiqued for dominance by the functionaries close to the ruling party at the national level in India. The recent suspension of FCRA licence of the Centre for Policy Research on the grounds of non-transparency is a case where the government is seen as arm-twisting the think tank. Tobacco companies influence research on the harmful effects of smoking, and they have been less than transparent in disclosing their funding for research to the think tanks. The reports of some think tanks working on climate change and ecological issues, have been contradicted by the scientists. The emerging issue, thus, is the influence of think tanks as power centres in making public policies and mighty governments and corporations manipulating them for their stated or unstated objectives in the public policy landscape.

In this context, it is crucial to formalise the think tank system by establishing explicit guidelines and regulations for its operations. This includes ensuring transparency in their funding sources and establishing mechanisms for independent evaluation of their work. Such measures will enhance their credibility, address national security concerns, and foster greater trust in the policy-making process. Governments should actively engage with think tanks to ensure their work aligns with national priorities while encouraging the maintenance of a diverse range of perspectives for balanced policy recommendations.

Accountability, transparency key

Building a culture of accountability and transparency within think tanks is equally essential. Think tanks should disclose their funding sources and potential conflicts of interest. Independent audits of their work and financial operations can safeguard their integrity and prevent undue influence from vested interests. Engaging the public through consultations and encouraging researchers and think tanks to communicate their findings in accessible formats will broaden participation in policy-making, reducing the perception of think tanks as exclusive or elitist entities. Donors should not dictate the think tank’s agenda.

Furthermore, strengthening the capacity of government departments to conduct their research and analysis will help balance the dependence on external think tanks. Investment in research institutions and collaboration between academia and government agencies also require more attention. By enhancing in-house expertise, policymakers can have a more direct and comprehensive understanding of policy issues, balancing the need to rely on external think tanks.

sureshkumarnangia@gmail.com

(The writer is a retired Punjab-cadre IAS officer. Views expressed are personal.)