Research fund crunch, real or created, is hitting India’s academia on the wrong side
In real terms, the per capita funds available for R&D activities have not increased but, in fact, may be less.
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Issues across Science, Journalism and Media: Plagiarism, Scientists and the Media
The fact of plagiarism itself is easy to establish in most cases and the willingness of scientists to come on record to say so would show that the science enterprise in India is robust and well.
Issues across Science, Journalism and Media: Sexual harassment and the moral role of scientists, journalists and institutions
I discuss how cases of sexual harassment at the academic workplace could be covered by journalists, examining the responsibility of individual scientists and of the institutions they belong to.
Issues across Science, Journalism and Media: Conduct rules, the need for institutional openness and the journalist-scientist interaction
A scientific organization that gives its members the green light to interact with journalists and the public, without insisting that every such interaction be filtered through an administrative layer or otherwise controlled, is doing things right.
Issues across Science, Journalism and Media: Should journalists write about preprints?
Preprints level the playing field for scientists from the developing world. They may simply be the most innovative method we know of that enables such access to the best of science from all round the world.
On the proposed rise of the HECI from the ashes of the UGC
On 27 June 2018, the Human Resources Development Ministry of the Government of India announced that it would repeal the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act and introduce a new regulatory body for higher education called the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). This announcement has received intense critique from a faction of the Indian academic world. Prof. V. S. Sunder expresses his concern over this corrupt initiative of bureaucratizing Indian higher education system.
War against Automation
What are the skills that a 21st century student need to acquire? Is the present education system up to the task in imparting those skills?
ISRO scientist exit: Text of Letter to the Honorable President of India
This is the text of the letter written by a group of Indian citizens to the Honorable President of India, expressing their concern about recent happenings in the Indian Space Research Organization.
From a big fat lie to a delicious sweet one?
One reason why the mainstream has not given up the classical theory is that a stronger and more convincing alternative theory is not yet agreed upon. The Diabetes Code tries to do this, but alas, with an almost equally weak case.
Blinded By Its Cow-Urine Craze, the Government Isn't Fostering Good Research Practices
One ‘finding’ suggests cancer and MDR-TB patients consuming a cow-urine distillate along with their medication can reduce the dosage of their medication and still reap positive results. This is dangerous.