[<<Indian Science Congresses became a prestigious event in the nation’s calendar when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began to inaugurate it in the first month of every year. It attracted men and women at the frontiers of scientific research from all corners of the globe, and invigorated scholarship in science within the country and was an inspiration to young scientists.>>
(Excerpted from sl. no. I below.) <<The outpouring of pseudoscience at successive Indian Science Congresses in recent years invites international embarrassment for the country. The ISC is in its 106th year, but it is a sign of slipping standards that papers and speakers propagating myths and scientific falsehoods have edged past peer reviews and found platforms to make themselves a laughing stock. A vice-chancellor was certain that the hundred Kauravas had to be test tube babies while another speaker confidently rejected Newton’s gravity, Einstein’s relativity, and Hawking’s black holes without offering any proof thereof. With anger brewing K VijayRaghavan, government’s principal scientific adviser, pointed finger at a larger problem. “The gorillas that really deserve to be in the #pseudoscience bin are huge, numerous and freely roaming the landscape,” VijayRaghavan wrote, about the widespread prevalence of such thinking endangering public policy. The resort to revivalism is unfortunate: until the mid-1990s, India matched or outperformed China in peer reviewed research papers in science and engineering. But a 2018 report by US National Science Foundation found that in 2016 China produced nearly four times more research papers than India in science and engineering and that China produced more engineering articles than even US and European Union in 2016.>> (Excerpted from sl. no. II below.)] I/II. http://www.asianage.com/opinion/edit/070119/a-travesty-of-science.html?fbclid=IwAR2aCtbirOFEAILhl3BBmRqzTDPOwylnCxhoboenZpogXaGUDOHUoQiBfYs A travesty of science THE ASIAN AGE. Published : Jan 8, 2019, 12:03 am IST Updated : Jan 8, 2019, 12:03 am IST At the event, Modi was ready with a slogan — “Jai jawan, jai kisan, jai anusandhaan” — as he is wont to — to underline the importance of research. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: PTI) Indian Science Congresses became a prestigious event in the nation’s calendar when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began to inaugurate it in the first month of every year. It attracted men and women at the frontiers of scientific research from all corners of the globe, and invigorated scholarship in science within the country and was an inspiration to young scientists. All that seems like pre-history today. Leading science intellectuals like Prof. C.N.R. Rao, who has done so much to advance research within the country, has reportedly said he no longer attends the Science Congress for fear that he may be seen as endorsing what goes on there in the name of science. The comment was published after startling things were said at the recent science conclave in Jalandhar that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the event, Mr Modi was ready with a slogan — “Jai jawan, jai kisan, jai anusandhaan” — as he is wont to — to underline the importance of research. But this aspect was hardly being heeded. Apparently, the political culture of our rulers these days, which regards the fertile imagination plentifully available in Hindu mythology as concrete evidence of advanced scientific work in ancient India, is beginning to have an effect. Thus the vice-chancellor of Andhra University expounded on the Kauravas in the Mahabharat as being test-tube babies or products of stem cell research. He also claimed that Ravan had 24 types of aircraft, not just the Pushpak Vimaan. Another worthy dismissed the work of Newton, Einstein and Stephen Hawking, and spoke of his own forthcoming theory of the “Modi wave”. The real question is: how do such radicals make it to this once highly-prestigious meet? II. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/faith-as-science-the-mythological-science-peddled-at-isc-puts-even-science-fiction-to-shame/?fbclid=IwAR0vKP7bP0DhPsM_jG0H8FdS1yXszAmFN9DicJ4xvtXYzaZ5xQOgmi5Dwes Faith as science: The mythological science peddled at ISC puts even science fiction to shame January 8, 2019, 2:00 AM IST TOI Edit in TOI Editorials | Edit Page, India | TOI The outpouring of pseudoscience at successive Indian Science Congresses in recent years invites international embarrassment for the country. The ISC is in its 106th year, but it is a sign of slipping standards that papers and speakers propagating myths and scientific falsehoods have edged past peer reviews and found platforms to make themselves a laughing stock. A vice-chancellor was certain that the hundred Kauravas had to be test tube babies while another speaker confidently rejected Newton’s gravity, Einstein’s relativity, and Hawking’s black holes without offering any proof thereof. With anger brewing K VijayRaghavan, government’s principal scientific adviser, pointed finger at a larger problem. “The gorillas that really deserve to be in the #pseudoscience bin are huge, numerous and freely roaming the landscape,” VijayRaghavan wrote, about the widespread prevalence of such thinking endangering public policy. The resort to revivalism is unfortunate: until the mid-1990s, India matched or outperformed China in peer reviewed research papers in science and engineering. But a 2018 report by US National Science Foundation found that in 2016 China produced nearly four times more research papers than India in science and engineering and that China produced more engineering articles than even US and European Union in 2016. While developing country inventors accounted for less than 1% of total US patents granted in 2000, by 2016 China accounted for 4% of all US patents granted. Rather than catching up, the defeatist mentality of harking back to myth is quietly taking over in India. These pseudoscientists must be weeded out from academia and government must offer better incentives to reverse brain drain. With the coming fourth industrial revolution, scientific and technological prowess will be the primary determinant of which country does well and which one lags. In an increasingly technology mediated world India is falling far behind. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
