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Source: The post is based on the article “Centre floats new science awards” published in The Hindu on 20th September 2023
What is the News?
The Government of India has decided to constitute a new set of awards for scientists called Rashtriya Vigyan Puruskar.
What is Rashtriya Vigyan Puruskar?
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar has been constituted to felicitate scientists, technologists and innovators.
Categories: The award will be given under four categories:
– Vigyan Ratna: It will recognise the lifetime achievement of scientists
– Vigyan Shri: It will recognise distinguished contributions to a field
– Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar: It will encourage young scientists who have made exceptional contributions in their field and
– Vigyan Team: It will recognise teams of three or more.
Domains: These awards will be given annually for 13 domains: physics, chemistry, biological sciences, mathematics and computer science, earth science, medicine, engineering science, agricultural science, environmental science, technology and innovation, atomic energy, space science and technology, and others.
Number of awards: There will only be three Vigyan Ratnas awarded yearly, 25 Vigyan Shri, 25 Vigyan Yuva, and 3 Vigyan Team.Only Vigyan Yuva will have an age limit of 45 years.
– The awards can also be given to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).However, only one PIO can receive the Vigyan Ratna award, while three PIOs can be selected for both the Vigyan Shri and the Vigyan Yuva awards.PIOs are not eligible for the Vigyan Team awards.
Nominations Process: Nominations for the awards will be accepted every year between January 14 and February 28, which is recognised as National Science Day.
– The awards will be announced on National Technology Day, May 11.
– The award ceremony will be held every year on the National Space Day, August 23, to mark the day India’s Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon.
Committee to give awards: A committee under the chairmanship of the principal scientific adviser will select the awardees.This committee will be constituted annually.
– The awards processes will be managed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for the first two years and will be taken over by the newly instituted National Research Foundation.
