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
Science funding
‘Tenure track system: Incentivising performance better than making insecurity as a model’
MHRD has called for a meeting of all seven IISER directors to discuss the merits of tenure track system and alternative systems for evaluating the performance of new faculty members before they are made permanent. The directors have been asked to send their views prior to the meeting. A meeting of all seven directors of … Continue reading ‘Tenure track system: Incentivising performance better than making insecurity as a model’
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
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’
Indian Science Congress sans drama from 2020?
The Indian Science Congress Association has finally decided to bring some respectability to the Congress by deciding to do precisely what the Nobel Laureate Prof. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan had suggested in an email to me. With the government funding the Congress in a substantial way and patronising it with its presence, was the Association compelled to … Continue reading Indian Science Congress sans drama from 2020?
Finally, CSIR to issue UGC-NET JRF/LS exam certificate, release fellowship
After several months of delay, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has finally decided to issue certificates and release fellowship to students who have cleared the CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for Lectureship (LS) qualifying exam held in June and December 2017. After several months of delay, the Council … Continue reading Finally, CSIR to issue UGC-NET JRF/LS exam certificate, release fellowship
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
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