New Delhi: The Center has decided to stop funding to the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) – the only academy in the country with academia, research and development, and industry links to engineering – a matter of concern to scientists and academicians associated with the body Is.
Some of India’s biggest scientific names – including former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, nuclear scientist Dr. Anil Kakodkar and former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman K. Kasturirangan is associated with INAE, which was established in 1987 and is headquartered in Delhi.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said in back-to-back communications sent to the academy on May 6 and June 24 that the government would fund the academy only till March 2025.
The letter dated 6 May read: “Department of Expenditure has recommended that the Government should dissociate itself from the activities of INAE by way of its incorporation as a Section 8 (Not for Profit) Company under the Companies Act, 2013″. ”
“The reason for this is that the Government need not be directly involved in the business of promoting and furthering the practice of engineering and technology and related sciences and disciplines in the country, when the same objectives are very effective by converting INAE to section 8.” (not-for-profit) company such as NASSCOM,” it further said, referring to the National Association of Software and Service Companies.
In its latest letter dated 24 June, the DST said: “As you have already been informed, the Government has considered and decided to accept the recommendations of the Government to delink it from the activities of INAE.”
It stated that “the dissolution of the government will be completed by March 31, 2025”. In other words, government assistance in the form of grants-in-aid to INAEs will be discontinued.
Manoranjan Mohanty, Head of Autonomous Institutions Division at DST, however, said the decision was not final yet.
“The matter is still under review and we have not reached a final decision,” Mohanty told ThePrint.
Scientists and academicians associated with the academy have expressed concern over the move, questioning the government’s decision to stop funding.
Nuclear Scientist Dr. Anil Kakodkar deployment of On Twitter on Wednesday: “Very unfortunate that Govt. has decided to break away from the activities of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), an independent forum of the most prestigious achievers in the field who have made significant contributions to the engineering and technology landscape in the country.
Speaking to ThePrint, Dr Kakodkar, former President of INAE, said that the academy is very important to the country, and it is unfortunate that the government feels that it does not need to fund it anymore.
“An academy like this cannot be expected to raise their money like a corporation. If they do, they make money for short-term projects, but no one is going to fund them for long-term projects. , “They said.
INAE’s current president, Professor Indranil Manna, said he had approached the government asking it to reconsider its decision to stop funding. He has also written to former Presidents including Dr. Kakodkar to draw their attention to the issue.
“We have appealed to DST to review their decision and are awaiting a reply,” he told ThePrint.
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Low funding compared to other academies
INAE receives relatively less amount from DST. In the financial year 2020-21, around Rs 4.06 crore was disbursed to the Academy, out of the total Rs 1,330 crore released by the department as grant in that year, dst data,
In comparison, the three science academies received more funding individually. Indian National Science Academy got Rs 23.05 crore, Indian Science Congress Association got Rs 6.64 crore and National Academy of Sciences got Rs 8.25 crore.
INAE comprises engineers and technologists from various engineering disciplines. It was established “with the mission of providing vital inputs for planning for the development of the country, especially those relating to engineering and technology”.
one in Letter On 7th April, 2020 NITI Aayog and DST as well as the then P. sent toChief Scientific Adviser to the government K. Vijay RaghavanThe then INAE President Sanak Mishra wrote that INAE “acts as an apex body and promotes excellence in engineering and technology for their application to solve problems of national importance”.
One of INAE’s programs is the Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship, designed to recognize, encourage and support translational research by individuals working in various capacities of the engineering profession in publicly funded institutions of science and engineering of DST. Awarded jointly with the Board of Research (SERB). in country.
About 10 fellowships are awarded by the association every year. INAE also recognizes the contribution of engineers through various awards.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)