The death of another Nehruvian idea – on closure of Vigyan Prasar

Source– The post is based on the article “The death of another Nehruvian idea” published in “The Hindu” on 2nd May 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Science and Technology

Relevance: Government policies to promote science and technology

News- An official press release of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) cryptically announced discontinuance of Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous body under its purview.

What are some facts about Vigyan Prashar?

Vigyan Prasar started functioning in 1989. It was a Nehruvian idea of science communication and scientific awareness.

It has been a part of an unbroken chain of government institutions and policies for promoting scientific temper since 1947.

Vigyan Prasar prepared content on scientific temper and disseminated it widely via radio and TV in the 1990s.

It also commissioned filmmakers to produce documentaries about leading scientists, the history of science and similar subjects.

One notable outreach project was ECLIPSE-95. It was a year-long programme to generate awareness and create safe viewing opportunities of the total solar eclipse of 1995.

What were the steps taken by the government to improve science communication and scientific awareness?

For Jawaharlal Nehru, science and technology were essential for nation-building projects. This was reflected in the creation of national laboratories, higher education institutions, large dams, and so on.

To fight irrationality, Nehru supported a scheme to open ‘Vigyan Mandirs’. These science centres popularised scientific ideas in rural populations.

In the 1960s, science communication through All India Radio and ‘Krishi Vigyan Kendras’ played an important role in the adoption of new, high-yielding crop varieties. It powered the Green Revolution.

The DST formed an agency to promote public debate on science and technology to tackle superstitious beliefs. It was  the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) established in 1982.

It supported several voluntary groups and grassroots science movements. One of its major contributions was the ‘Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha’ (BJVJ) movement. It gave birth to a network of voluntary organisations. This took the shape of the All India People’s Science Network.

All these events culminated in the idea of a national institute of science and technology communication. This was Vigyan Prasar.

What were the issues faced by Vigyan Prashar in recent times?

Vigyan Prasar deviated from its original mandate. New projects were launched without adequate preparation and coordination.

The agency started ‘DD Science’ in collaboration with Doordarshan as a one-hour daily programme for science, but it started rehashing documentaries telecast earlier.

This was followed by an OTT channel called ‘IndiaScience.in. But The OTT science channel converted into a political message platform. It covered routine events such as the Prime Minister’s Republic Day speech and ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’.