Scientists voice concerns about Centre's decision to overrule expert panel picks for Bhatnagar award

New Delhi: Over 175 scientists have written to the Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Sood voicing their concerns on the alleged role played by the Union government in overruling the recommendations of an expert panel as was seen recently in the case of Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award.

"This issue is much larger than a few awards. In future, this will set a precedent for ministers to use unrestricted vetoes to overrule any recommendations of expert committees. Academics disliked by the government for any reason may be sidelined," they wrote in a letter to Sood earlier this week.

The document signed by India’s top researchers comes in the middle of a raging controversy in the academic circle on how an expert panel’s recommendations on selecting the nominees for the award was overturned by the union government.

“This trend not only goes against basic tenets of science practice, but will also impede the development of scientific research in this country. We strongly feel that being an eminent researcher and scientist yourself, you would appreciate our sentiments, and our misgivings about this matter,” they wrote.

“Moreover, as you hold the office of PSA to the government of India, we feel that we ought to convey our fears to you,” they added.

Sood, who holds the office since May 2022, is a professor of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and is well regarded as one of India’s top-most scientists.

The controversy began when a section of the academicians alleged that names of two-three scientists – selected by an expert panel headed by Sood – were dropped from the final list of the recipients of Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards that were given away by the President last month.

The scientists dropped from the list are known to have expressed critical opinions on some of the policies of the Union government.

Days after the prize distribution ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, a group of 26 past Bhatnagar awardees wrote to Sood seeking to know “whether the recommendations of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Committee were accepted in entirety, or were revised by further committees or authorities.”

Sources said the panel submitted its recommendation to the union science minister Jitendra Singh.

"The committee chaired by PSA is responsible for the selection of names. They don't confer the award. The list goes to the minister who forwards it to the president. But this part of the process is supposed to be just rubber stamping. No one ever imagined that there would be deletions in the list at that stage,” a scientist who signed the Sept 24 communication, told DH.

In their letter, the researchers said Sood’s response indicated that the selection of awards henceforth would also involve non-academic considerations.

“This is a rather unhealthy development for Indian science. The processes involved in the various forms of recognition of good science in India needed to become more transparent and accountable, rather than less,” they added.