Due to fear of losing their job, researchers from Brazil have preferred to remain anonymous in a paper on Amazon forest fire. The acknowledgement section of the paper published last month carries the message. There have been several instances when authors of scientific papers have tucked in their marriage proposal in the acknowledgement section. One … Continue reading Brazilian researchers remain anonymous on research paper
Research funding
Tenure track system at IITs is a recipe for failure
Flogging a small subset of young faculty to improve research and teaching metrics using the threat of tenure track while leaving the large majority of senior faculty completely unmonitored will do very little to achieve the prime objective. In a marked departure in the way assistant professors, who are the lowest rung of the academic … Continue reading Tenure track system at IITs is a recipe for failure
200 scientists sign an appeal to ‘vote against inequality, intimidation, discrimination’
For the first time, a large number (199) of scientists, both senior and young, have signed an appeal to vote against hate politics. The appeal calls for people to vote so as to “reject those who lynch or assault people, those who discriminate against people because of religion, caste, gender, language or region. Again, we must … Continue reading 200 scientists sign an appeal to ‘vote against inequality, intimidation, discrimination’
IIT Delhi to hire 100 foreign teachers
IIT Delhi has already hired on contract five foreign nationals as faculty and intends to fill the remaining 95 vacancies earmarked for them. There are totally 300 faculty positions laying vacant for the last 10 years. Finding suitable candidates has been a problem, especially in certain disciplines despite recruitment cycle taking place every six months. … Continue reading IIT Delhi to hire 100 foreign teachers
IIT Delhi to admit international PhD students from May 2019
From this May, IIT Delhi will start admitting international students, including students of Indian origin, for PhD programme in 28 academic departments/units. Five hundred PhD fellowships will be provided over the next five years. Selected students will be charged the same fees as Indian PhD students and will be provided the same monthly fellowship as … Continue reading IIT Delhi to admit international PhD students from May 2019
Mystery of the missing ‘excerpts of Murmu committee recommendations’
The excerpts of the Murmu committee recommendations for revision of emoluments for PhD students was tweeted by DST on February 2. The same was removed when DST again tweeted the official memorandum on February 4. The official memorandum posted on the DST website too does not have the excerpts of the committee recommendations. On February … Continue reading Mystery of the missing ‘excerpts of Murmu committee recommendations’
‘Financial reward for publishing papers is a hare-brained scheme’
A one-time financial reward of Rs.50,000 and Rs.20,000 has been recommended for papers published in international and Indian journals respectively. And an incentive of Rs.1,00,000 on obtaining an India or international patent. However, doling out incentives for paper publication and patent filing is a terrible idea. The Science Ministry doesn't seem to have learnt from … Continue reading ‘Financial reward for publishing papers is a hare-brained scheme’
Fund crunch at INSA hurts Young Scientist Medal awardees
Due to limitations in budgetary provisions from DST, the Indian National Science Academy council has decided to “dispense with” research grant, fellowship and fully-paid visit abroad to attend a conference to all Young Scientist Medal winners post 2014-2015. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST says budget of INSA has not reduced but has instead been going up. … Continue reading Fund crunch at INSA hurts Young Scientist Medal awardees
Funding for science in India has nearly doubled in four years: Ashutosh Sharma
With fewer and fewer research proposals getting approved, delay in the release of funding for approved proposals, and only a fraction of the approved funding being released, science in India is facing some grave challenges, says an editorial in the Proceedings of the Indian National Academy of Sciences. Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST denies these … Continue reading Funding for science in India has nearly doubled in four years: Ashutosh Sharma
National portal to share research equipment, facility to be launched soon
CeNSE at IISc, Bengaluru will soon launch a national portal that has details of all government-funded research equipment and facilities available at academic institutions and organisations in India. Researchers from even colleges can now book, pay and use any equipment available in any research lab or organisation. The initiative will at least minimise duplication of … Continue reading National portal to share research equipment, facility to be launched soon
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