Why is it in the News?

The Indian Science Congress, the largest gathering of scientists and students of science in the country and a permanent annual fixture in the calendar of the participant group for more than a century has been postponed.

Postponement of the Indian Science Congress:

• Unprecedented Interruption: The postponement of the Indian Science Congress holds unprecedented significance.
  • Since its inception in 1914, the Congress has been an annual event, except for the years immediately following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic (2021 and 2022).
• Tradition and Prime Ministerial Engagement: A cornerstone of scientific tradition, the Indian Science Congress is inaugurated by the Prime Minister, making it a fixture on the PM's calendar.
  • Typically, it stands as the Prime Minister's first public engagement of the new year.

Why has the Science Congress Been Postponed This Year?

• This year's postponement stems from a protracted dispute between the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), the organizing body, and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) within the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.
• The DST, a key funding entity, withdrew support in September 2023, citing financial irregularities.
• The ISCA refuted the allegations and contested the DST's directive prohibiting government funds for Science Congress-related expenses, leading to an impasse that has resulted in the postponement.
• A legal challenge to the DST's decision is currently pending.

What is the Indian Science Congress (ISC)?

• The Indian Science Congress (ISC) is a unique event in the country that serves as a platform for scientific communities to interact with students and the general public on science-related matters.
• Organized by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), an independent body supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in the central government, the Science Congress is an annual five-day event from January 3 to 7, considered a permanent fixture on the Prime Minister’s calendar.
• The inaugural session of the Indian Science Congress took place in 1914 at the premises of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
• In recent years, the Indian Science Congress (ISC) has faced criticism due to issues such as a lack of substantial discussions, the promotion of pseudoscience, and outlandish claims by certain speakers.
  • This has led to concerns among prominent scientists, with some advocating for the discontinuation of the event or, at the very least, the withdrawal of government support.
  • While the government provides an annual grant for organizing the Science Congress, it does not play a direct role in its organization.