Uncertainty looms over conduct of Indian Science Congress by JNTU-Hyderabad

Aspects of funding appears to be throwing up obstacles in the most awaited science congregation which draws the cream of S&T world and also the young and budding aspirants from across the country

Hyderabad: Uncertainty looms large over the conduct of the prestigious 109th Indian Science Congress (ISC) by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) – Hyderabad, here next month.

Aspects of funding appears to be throwing up obstacles in the most awaited science congregation which draws the cream of S&T world and also the young and budding aspirants from across the country.

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The Department of Science and Technology (DST), which announced in September last year that “support from all its resources for the forthcoming ISC event in 2024 will be discontinued”, reiterated its stand on Wednesday.

“The government has pulled the plug on the funding of the association that organizes the Indian Science Congress every year,” said a PTI report quoting a senior official of the Central government.

Every year, the DST extends funds to the tune of Rs 5 crore to the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) for hosting the congress. A sizable fund is allocated to the host institution to make arrangements for the meeting.

With the DST, one of the main funding agencies for the ISCA, refusing to fund the Science Congress, questions are now being raised over the conduct of the meeting.

The JNTU-Hyderabad had written to the State government seeking a nod and funding of Rs.50 crore for hosting the event in the university, officials said the government had “orally” permitted the ISC. However, there was no clarity on how much the government will fund the meeting.

The JNTU-H senior officials estimate that hosting the event would require at least Rs.20 crore. “The university will receive clarity on funding from the State government by this week-end. We will also be talking to the ISCA about the funding. If we do not get required funding from the government, we might go cutting costs or approach corporates/companies for funds,” a senior official said.

Earlier, the Lovely Professional University, Punjab, had offered to host the event from January 3, 2024, after Lucknow University, which was the original host for the 2024 Congress, pulled out. However, the LPU too pulled out at the last minute.