Guwahati, Feb 5: The 47th Indian Social Science Congress began today at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) with the participation of more than 200 academicians and scholars of universities and colleges from across India.
The five-day-long conference has been organized by the Indian Social Science Academy (ISSA) and hosted by USTM. The inaugural session today was graced by eminent scientist Dr Vinod K Gaur, former Secretary of Mining and Earth Sciences, Govt of India; Dr W Selvamurthy, Chancellor, Amity University Chattisgarh; NP Choubey, General Secretary ISSA; Prof GD Sharma, Vice Chancellor USTM and President Association of Indian Universities; Prof PK Sarkar, President, ISSA; Prof Amit Choudhary, Dean, School of Business Sciences USTM, apart from a galaxy of academicians and scholars. The delegates also released a few publications during the inaugural of the conference.
Addressing the gathering, the chief guest Dr Vinod K Gaur said that the changes initiated by the New Education Policy in universalization of education and development of the structure of education is remarkable. This new policy has the potential for human development, he said. On the other hand, he lamented that India has more than thousand universities but none among them is in the top 50 universities of the world. “Looking at the present situation of the educational system, my concern is how and where had we failed?”, he said.
Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Prof GD Sharma Vice Chancellor of USTM extended his gratitude to all the participating delegates and said that any mega event is a learning chapter for USTM students. This social science congress will bring a new approach to creating better science education in the country, he added.
NP Choubey, General Secretary Indian Social Science Academy presented the objectives and issues regarding the conference theme “Science Education and Research in Swaraj India”. He said that the main purpose of the Congress is to reflect over Swaraj India’s achievements in the field of Science Education and Research in all subjects since August 15, 1947 till today and bring out as many volumes as possible in all Indian languages. The focus is on highlighting new methods, theories and new indigenous technology capable of making Swaraj India and its peoples Atmnirbhar.
The presidential address was made by Prof PK Sarkar, President, Indian Social Science Academy. Dr Sarkar stated that the Government can think of establishing science centres in the villages of India. “We can call science mandis…. Because India lives in villages”, he said. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks presented by Prof Amit Choudhary, local organising secretary from USTM.
Some of the thematic panels of this five-day-long seminar include ‘Conflicts, War, Peace and Social Security’, ‘Demography and Human Rights’, ‘Ethics of Science and Society’, ‘Global Warming and Climate Change’, ‘Ecological and Environmental Protection Movement’, ‘Information Technology, Mass Media and Culture’, ‘Labour in Organised and Unorganised Sectors’, ‘Population, Poverty and Migration’, etc.
Indian Social Science Academy is a National Science Academy with distinction because of its novel conception of Science as a Social and holistic approach by bringing all subjects of Science of Nature-Human-Society under the new name ‘Social Science’ by ending the hitherto existing caste-like divisions in Science and, thereby promoting Unity of Science of Nature- Human-Society. IANS