Science Congress’ fate a sign of the times

With the Indian Science Congress missing its usual early January schedule, there is uncertainty about it being held at all this year, and perhaps in future. The annual event, which has been held every year for over a century, except during the Covid years, has been an important event in the country’s science calendar. After Independence, Prime Ministers have always inaugurated it, which underlined its importance as a national event and the political leadership’s belief in promoting science as the way to achieve progress and development. First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru considered it as a forum to encourage science and the scientific spirit. The country’s top scientists and scientific institutions and organisations participated in the event. It was a forum for scientists and researchers at all levels and students and the general public to meet and interact. Useful and informative discussions were held on papers and exhibits presented. Over the years, it has been held in all parts of the country, even in small towns. 

The Science Congress has lost some of its value and reputation over the years. Many top scientists do not attend it now and many institutions are not keen on participation. The standard of papers and the quality and level of discussions have gone down. Controversies have arisen over issues, including the topics of papers which were presented. With the government’s refusal to financially support the event, it faces a crisis now. A private society called the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) has been organising the event with funds from the government. The government has refused to fund it now, charging the society with “financial irregularities” and “unilateral decision-making”. The venue of this year’s Science Congress had been shifted from Lucknow University to a private university in Jalandhar. The government cited this as a reason for discontinuing its funding. The Jalandhar-based university has now expressed its inability to host the event, citing “unforeseen challenges”. The ISCA has appealed to other universities to host the event, possibly in February. 

While dissociating from the Indian Science Congress, the government has been promoting another science congregation, the India International Science Festival, in partnership with Vijnana Bharati, an organisation linked to the Sangh Parivar. Its annual meeting is being held this month in Faridabad, Haryana. The government’s intention seems to be to promote it as an alternative to the Indian Science Congress. But the government could have tried to improve the functioning of the Indian Science Congress if it was not happy with it, instead of choking it. A purposeful initiative and efforts would have brought it back to its old glory. Ideological reasons may have prompted it to promote the rival event. But ideology should have no link with science. It is injurious to its health and progress. The country needs genuine science to be promoted and practised.