Outcry among scientists as Indian government moves to slash awards
Savings will be minimal compared with the loss of a major motivator for early-career researchers
The Indian government’s decision to scrap over 300 awards given annually to researchers across all scientific disciplines has stunned the country’s science community.
Although the government has not made any formal announcement yet, the minutes of a meeting chaired by the Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on 16 September and attended by key officials from science ministries and departments that conclude that now is the time for the ‘transformation of [the] awards ecosystem’. Government officials have not denied the authenticity of the minutes that are circulating in the media.