Expressing concern that the gap between the common man and scientific community is widening, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences YS Chowdary on Saturday called the latter to act swiftly before it “loses trust of people.”
“Science in India is more scientists-centric rather than dealing with national priorities and if the scientific community does not act swiftly, it will lose trust of people”, Chowdary said at Foundation Day of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The gap between the common man and the scientific community, which “needs to be bridged at the earliest,” he said.
“I am coming across a public opinion, increasingly and more frequently, that India’s science is scientists centric by choice and not by national priorities. And also, the gap between the scientific fraternity and common man, who is at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid, is widening,” Chowdary said.
Earth Sciences Minister Harsh Vardhan, ISRO chairman and Department of Space secretary A S Kiran Kumar, CSIR Director General Girish Sahani were also present at the event.
Chowdhary pitched for an overhaul in the approach so that the “people don’t lose the trust” in the institution.