<i>Jugaad</i> as Small Science: The ‘e-Rickshaw’ Conundrum in Delhi

Abstract The emerging discourse on “small science” and “slow science” broadens the scope of the STS scholarship by problematizing the question of scale in doing science. It claims that small science is not only about doing things at a small scale, but also about doing different things. The scholarship shares space with the emerging frugal innovation scholarship, which advocates for humane technologies with a greater degree of simplicity, decentralised control, greater customisation possibilities, and participation of “laypeople” in the making of these technologies. However, these innovations are, at times, criticised for not being based on (idealised) “science.” We draw upon philosophical, and historical studies on scientific methods to relook at the claim of absent science in jugaad . We take a scaled up jugaad transportation technology developed by laypeople in the informal economy in the city of Delhi for the analysis. We find that jugaad is an outcome of a carefully designed search process, aided by alertness of mind, knowledge about immediate material and knowledge environment, and a preference for accessibility and affordability in creating new technologies. It involves reuse, repurposing, and improvisation. The paper raises broad questions about how jugaad operates, achieves legitimacy, and survives public scrutiny, to create a space for, a more human-centred, “ jugaad -science”.