Vigyan Ratna

Vigyan Ratna

Subject: Science and technology

Context:The Centre has asked its various science departments as well as its health department to trim the number of awards they give out and ensure instead that the few conferred are of greater value.

Concept :

• Departments have to institute in consultation with the Principal Scientific Advisor a Nobel-like science award — Vigyan Ratna — which could be of the stature of the Bharat Ratna.
• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has now been told to discontinue all private endowments as well as the ones based on lecture/ scholarship/ fellowship and start a new scheme for scholarship/ fellowship with a suitable honorarium.
• A new award of very high stature may be instituted for scientists in the field of atomic energy and space science and earth sciences.
• Out of the awards given by CSIR, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, one of the most prestigious scientific awards in the country, will continue, while the others will either be scrapped or merged into other awards.
• Other awards given by the health ministry, Indian council for medical research, and FSSAI are also to be discontinued.
• Departments have been asked to submit an action taken report within ten days to the Home Ministry and a review meeting in this regard will soon be held by the PMO.
• However larger issues like untimely research grants to scientists and students, low government expenditure (0.7 percent of GDP as compared to 2% in China and 3% in Japan) in the R&D field, etc are yet to be resolved.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award

• The award is named after the Founder-Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) India, the late Dr (Sir) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and is known as the ‘Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology.
• It is the most coveted national recognition bestowed upon young scientists and engineers to honour their research and developmental work in India.

Eligibility:

• Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years is eligible for the prize.
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) working in Indiaare also eligible.
• The prize is awarded on the basis of contributions made through work done in India only during the five years preceding the year of the prize.

Nature of the prize

• The prize comprises a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh.
• In addition, recipients also get Rs. 15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.

  Haryana Vigyan Ratna Awards 2022-23

• Haryana Vigyan/Yuva Vigyan Ratna Awards 2022-23 is an initiative of the Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation, and Technology (HSCST) for eminent scientists of Haryana.
• These awards have been instituted to honor eminent scientists of Haryana who have made outstanding contributions in the field of science & technology.
• They should be 40 years of age as of 31st December 2022 (For Haryana Vigyan Ratna award) and 40 years of age as of 31st December 2021 (For Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratna award)
• The selected candidates will receive the following awards –
• Haryana Vigyan Ratna Award – A cash prize of INR 5 lakhs, a citation, and a trophy
• Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratna Award – A cash prize of INR1 lakh, a citation, and a trophy