Indian Science Congress needs to survive and thrive
THE first week of January is usually an important period in the calendar of the Indian scientific community. This is when the annual mega event — the Indian Science Congress (ISC) — is held. It is inaugurated by the Prime Minister and is attended by thousands of scientists and students from all over the country. But January 2024 is different. Lovely Professional University, which was to host the ISC this year at Phagwara (near Jalandhar), withdrew at the last moment — citing ‘unforeseen challenges’ — and the Central government, which provides financial support, also backed out. This forced the organisers, the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), to put off the event for now.
The ISC is a unique forum. Unlike scientific conferences dedicated to narrow specialisations and attended by elite academics, Science Congress sessions are multi-disciplinary and open to all regular science students and researchers in degree colleges and universities. It has also been a place for science policymakers to brainstorm on critical issues and make recommendations to the government. Such recommendations have helped shape policies and even resulted in new government departments like the Department of Environment (later upgraded to a ministry) and the Department of Ocean Development (now known as the Ministry of Earth Sciences). Above all, the ISC serves important functions of science communication and promotion of scientific temper as well as the spirit of inquiry.
Since its founding in 1914, ISC annual sessions have been held without a break, except for the disruption caused due to the Covid pandemic. The story of the Science Congress is closely interwoven with the growth of modern science in India. The ISCA was the brainchild of two British academics serving in India — Prof PS MacMahon of Canning College, Lucknow, and Prof JL Simonsen of Presidency College, Madras. They conceived it on the lines of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The objective was to provide a common forum for all those interested in pure and applied sciences, and the interface of science with society. It was the first such platform where scientific workers engaged in mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology and biology could meet and exchange new and emerging ideas. Such meetings of minds, over the years, gave rise to new scientific societies and professional bodies — resulting in a coherent Indian scientific community.
Critics of the ISC say that the forum has lost relevance and has remained rooted in its century-old traditions and format. Such a perception is superficial and ignores the evolution that the ISC has undergone during different phases, while keeping pace with the growth of science in India.
The first phase from 1914 to 1947 represented the period in which there was greater interaction between Indian and European scientists working in Indian universities and laboratories. Indian science academies, too, were in their formative phase. So, the ISC was the only forum where scientists could present their thoughts. All the papers presented at ISC sessions were peer-reviewed, giving rise to the concept of peer evaluation of scientific work and international recognition for it. The publication of scientific journals in India was also a byproduct of the ISC. Science and Culture, founded by Meghnad Saha, is a prime example.
In the late 1930s, when the freedom movement gained momentum and the national leadership started planning for a future India, the ISC platformed new ideas about deploying science for national development through rapid industrialisation and the social obligation of science. It was at the 1937 session of the ISC that Jawaharlal Nehru made his iconic statement: “Science is the spirit of the age and the dominating factor of the modern world. The future belongs to science and to those who make friends with science and seek its help for the advancement of society.” He was the General President of the ISC in the year of Independence and addressed it every year till his death in 1964. Subsequently, it became a tradition for PMs to address the scientific community at the ISC and they often used the occasion to make important policy pronouncements.
As the process of organising the scientific setup in the form of national laboratories and research councils began after Independence, the ISC, too, entered a new phase. While continuing to be a forum for scientific research, it became a platform to discuss larger policy issues like planning, food crisis and health development. Along with researchers from the university system, those from national laboratories and scientific departments began to dominate the proceedings. As discipline-specific professional societies developed and national science academies matured over the next few decades, the ISC lost some of its sheen as scientific developments were presented not on the ISC platform but at meetings of professional bodies.
Given the diverse and highly specialised and competitive nature of science today, it would be unrealistic for the ISC to remain the first choice of scientists to present their work. So, in recent years, many in the scientific community feel that the ISC has been reduced to a mere carnival. Taking advantage of poor gatekeeping by local organisers, the ISC has seen anti-science elements infiltrating its sessions.
However, scientists interested in sharing their knowledge with young students and budding scientists and interacting with peers across disciplines find the ISC useful. Other than premier research and academic institutes, India has many universities and colleges where science is taught. Their students and faculty are not members of elite professional bodies and academies. They look to the ISC to present their work and interact with top scientists and policymakers. Nobel laureates addressing ISC sessions are the greatest attraction and a source of inspiration for students.
It is for all these reasons that the ISC needs to survive and be renewed. At a time when we are witnessing the rise of pseudoscience though social media, we need more fora like the ISC to promote scientific temperament and counter anti-science tendencies. The Central government owes an explanation as to why its Department of Science and Technology decided to discontinue financial aid to the ISC.
