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Postponement of century-old Indian Science Congress sparks controversy

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The Indian scientific community finds itself in a precarious position these days. The century-old Indian Science Congress, recognized as the country’s most extensive annual assembly of premier scientific minds along with young students, was postponed this year, reportedly amid an unexpected tussle between the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), an autonomous body that organizes the event, and the Indian government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), the event’s main funder. The meeting, regularly attended by Nobel laureates, has been the largest and premier event dedicated to the promotion of science and scientific temperament in India since 1914. Its focus areas cover a vast range of sciences, including agriculture, forestry, Earth systems, zoology, fisheries and other fields that are pertinent to the future of India’s environment and development. “Climate change, health, environmental degradation, poverty, inequality … are complex. Most of our challenges and SDGs [sustainable development goals] have scientific dimensions,” writes Sneha Sinha, a consultant for the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, in her 2021 paper about the ISCA’s role in Indian science and its relevance today amid ongoing environmental and societal crises. “Tackling global societal challenges require scientific advice in policy-making.” The scientific congress has been held every year since independence, barring few exceptions — most recently in 2021 and 2022, when the congress could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, attendance usually numbers several thousand, including scientists, research scholars, university and institution faculty members and students. The meeting traditionally begins each Jan. 3…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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