From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Feb 5: The 47th Indian Social Science Congress got underway at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on Monday with more than 200 academicians and scholars from various universities and colleges from across the country taking part.
The five-day-long conference is being organised by the Indian Social Science Academy (ISSA) and hosted by USTM.
The inaugural session was graced by eminent scientists apart from a galaxy of academicians and scholars. The delegates also released a few publications during the inaugural session.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Vinod K Gaur, former secretary of mining and earth sciences, Government of India, said the changes initiated by the new education policy in universalisation of education and development of the structure of education have been remarkable.
“This new policy has the potential for human development,” he said. On the other hand, he lamented that India has more than 1000 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 we failed?” he said.
Earlier, welcoming the gathering, USTM vice chancellor G.D Sharma extended his gratitude to the delegates.
N.P 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 science congress was to reflect on Swaraj India’s achievements in the field of science education and research in all subjects since August 15, 1947 till date and bring out as many volumes as possible in all Indian languages.
The presidential address was made by P.K Sarkar, president, Indian Social Science Academy who stated that the government could think of establishing science centres in the villages of India.
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’ and ‘Population, Poverty and Migration’.