AIPSN Statement on Chandrayaan-3 – Press Release
The All India Peoples Science Network (AIPSN) salutes the scientists, engineers, technical staff and all others at ISRO, its affiliated Institutions, and all associated PSUs, other companies and contractors for the grand success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission’s soft landing on the moon by the Vikram Lander and the Pragyaan Rover. AIPSN calls upon the Government to clearly declare that it regards the Moon and other extra-terrestrial bodies as a common good of all humanity, and that it is opposed to national or corporate exploitation of any resources found in such bodies. The Government also needs to reconsider its naming of the Chandrayaan-3 landing site as “Shiv Shakti Point,” since this appears to run counter to the naming convention of the International Astronomical Union. The Government should propose such a name as would conform to IAU norms and therefore gain international acceptance.
Jan Vigyan Samachar: AIPSN Newletter in Hindi
Jan Vigyan Samachar is the Hindi version of the AIPSN newsletter. We are happy to publish our newsletter after a long break. The newsletter People's Science was released at the National Education Assembly in New Delhi on 30 April and was updated after that. We hope to have more content in the future
No to centralization and privatization of research funding: Remit NRF bill to Parliamentary Standing Committee
All India Peoples’ Science Network (AIPSN) says no to centralization and privatization of research funding and asks the Union Government to remit National Research Foundation Bill to Parliamentary Standing Committee on S&T, Environment and Forests for a comprehensive assessment. AIPSN demands that the “National Research Foundation Bill 2023” be re-examined. This bill should be sent to the Department Related Standing Committee on S&T, Environment and Forests for a comprehensive assessment. The centralisation of funding, lack of academic oversight, not addressing the existing structural problems, privatisation of funding in NRF Bill needs re-examination and a thorough open scrutiny by the scientific community.
AIPSN Newsletter: People’s Science
We are happy to publish our newsletter after a long break. The newsletter People's Science or Jan Vigyan was released at the National Education Assembly in New Delhi on 30 April and has been updated after that. We hope to have more content in the future
Sabka Desh Hamara Desh Campaign
The All India People’s Science Network (AIPSN) at its All India People’s Science Congress in Bangalore in May 2015 had decided to launch an All India campaign that addresses the twin threats posed by the neoliberal and religious sectarian assault on people’s lives in India.
National Education Assembly
As part of the #SaveEducationSaveTheNation campaign AIPSN and BGVS are organising the National Education Assembly on 30th April 2023 at New Delhi. It is supported by other fraternal organisations such as JFME, AIFUCTO, STFI, SFI, AIDWA, AFRTE, RTE forum, FEDCUTA, JNU Teachers Association, DTF, All India Education Committee, AIFAWH. The national assembly will discuss an alternate education policy and the demands of the People's Science Movement under the campaign #SaveEducationSaveTheNation and intensify the actions of resistance in the coming times.
AIPSN Foundation Day
AIPSN Foundation Day on Feb 11 is being celebrated by a series of stories from AIPSN and its affiliated Popular Science Movements (PSMs) from different States. Along with the posters circulated for 'each storynar' which consists of songs from different PSMs and stories told by members from AIPSN and the PSMs. For readers is offered here a book "Science for Social Revolution" that was brought out by Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) one of the founder PSMs of the AIPSN. This book was edited by M.P. Parameswaran a vibrant visionary and one the founders of AIPSN. To see the book and the posters with the details of the storynars click on the link..
AIPSN Response to the JPC on the amendments to Forest (Conservation) Act (1980)
....In view of the above, AIPSN is of the view that the proposed Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, placed by the Union Government in the Lok Sabha be withdrawn in its present form. The need of the hour is restoration, protection and improvement of devastated forest ecosystems, rather than diversion or alteration in the use of forest lands in large parts of the country in one guise or another. click the link to read the details..
AIPSN Response to Draft National Higher Education Quality Framework (NHEQF)
AIPSN calls upon UGC to abandon or keep in abeyance this flawed National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and instead first enable the infrastructure and functional requirements for such a Qualification Framework to function properly...click the link to read the details
Press Release “AIPSN Appeal To Strengthen and Not Shutdown Vigyan Prasar”
All India People’s Science Network (AIPSN) appeals to the Government of India to strengthen, rather than close, Vigyan Prasar as its functions do not overlap with any other department of the Govt of India. The country needs more science communication, not less, and on a far greater scale, in all the Indian languages. We have a constitutional obligation to nurture the scientific temper among citizens, and science communication ought to be acknowledged as core mandate of the DST and not relegated to a PR cell outsourcing activity. The country needs a cadre of science communicators, and institutions such as VP need expansion and strengthening towards achieving this. The closing of Vigyan Prasar will be an irreplaceable loss to the country. Vigyan Prasar needs to continue and be empowered even more to serve the country in terms of science communication, popularization, developing critical thinking and scientific temper as part of our Constitutional mandate.