{"id":62187,"date":"2025-09-06T12:11:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T06:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=62187"},"modified":"2025-09-06T12:11:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T06:41:24","slug":"indian-science-congress-to-be-replaced-by-the-estic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indian-science-congress-to-be-replaced-by-the-estic\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Science Congress to be Replaced by the ESTIC"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Indian Science Congress Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Science Congress has been replaced by the <\/span><b>Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with its first edition scheduled for November 2025 in New Delhi.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For over a century, the <\/span><b>Indian Science Congress (ISC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been the premier platform for Indian scientists, researchers, and policymakers to deliberate on national scientific priorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Established in 1914, the ISC grew into a prestigious event inaugurated annually by the Prime Minister, bringing together global and Indian experts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, over recent years, concerns over its effectiveness, controversies in its sessions, and institutional disputes have diminished its relevance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2025, the government announced a <\/span><b>new approach with the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, scheduled to be held in November.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This marks a historic transition in India\u2019s science policy ecosystem, signalling a move toward a more structured, innovation-driven forum aligned with national priorities like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Viksit Bharat 2047<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Achievements and Issues with the Indian Science Congress<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Achievements<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Platform for Scientific Exchange:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The ISC played a crucial role in creating a scientific community in pre- and post-Independence India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Global Participation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It hosted Nobel Laureates, international scholars, and top Indian scientists.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Policy Influence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many national science policies were shaped through discussions at ISC sessions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Public Engagement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It popularised science among school and college students through exhibitions and public lectures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Issues<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Erosion of Academic Quality:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Over time, the ISC faced criticism for allowing unscientific and controversial statements by some participants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Reduced Relevance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Its role as a serious forum for science policy and research exchange declined.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Institutional Conflict:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Disputes between the <\/span><b>Department of Science and Technology (DST)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), which organised the event, led to funding cuts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>COVID-19 Disruptions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> After the pandemic, only the 2023 edition was held, with no physical conferences thereafter.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growing disconnect between ISC and India\u2019s contemporary science needs created the ground for ESTIC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Overview<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>first ESTIC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will be held at <\/span><b>Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from November 3-4, 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and is expected to be inaugurated by <\/span><b>Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organised by the <\/span><b>DST in collaboration with all science-related ministries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ESTIC aims to become India\u2019s leading forum for advancing innovation-driven research.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Key Features<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Thematic Sessions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 11 technical sessions will focus on frontier areas such as space, biotechnology, deep-tech, and renewable energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Innovation Showcase:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 75 exhibition stalls will be set up by deep-tech startups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Global Participation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nobel Laureate <\/span><b>Andre Geim (Physics, 2010)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, French space expert <\/span><b>Jean-Yves Le Gall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and Japanese biologist <\/span><b>Professor Masaru Tomita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are among the confirmed international guests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Government Involvement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Unlike the ISC, ESTIC will involve <\/span><b>direct participation from all science-related ministries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including atomic energy, IT, and space.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Prime Minister\u2019s Presence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> PM\u2019s attendance at the inaugural underlines the strategic importance given to ESTIC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Objectives<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To showcase <\/span><b>cutting-edge research and technology breakthroughs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To align India\u2019s science innovation ecosystem with the vision of <\/span><b>Viksit Bharat 2047<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To provide a <\/span><b>serious global platform for scientists and innovators<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, different from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/iisf\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>IISF<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (India International Science Festival), which is designed more as a science popularisation event.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Significance of the Transition<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Replacing ISC with ESTIC represents:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Policy Modernisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Moving from a general science gathering to a high-level innovation conclave.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Focus on Innovation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Prioritising applied research and startup-driven technology ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Global Leadership:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Positioning India as a key player in international science and technology networks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Institutional Clarity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shifting control directly to DST reduces friction with external associations like ISCA.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/new-technology-innovation-conclave-to-replace-science-congress-to-be-held-in-november\/article70017071.ece#:~:text=ESTIC%20may%20&#039;replace&#039;%20the%20Indian,senior%20official%20told%20The%20Hindu.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TH<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) is set to replace the Indian Science Congress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":62193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2532,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-62187","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-indian-science-congress","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}