Monday Post

The Central govt has asked all the public funded institutions including educational, Public Sector Unit (PSU) or any organisation to ask for prior approval from Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for participating in and conducting virtual international seminars. It has raised concerns by many scientists, academicians, doctor and many more professional. It is seen by them as a move to curtail democratic space and wary about classifications in the notifications.

Topics which  will need clearance from Central govt are

• All events related to security of state, border, north east states, J & K, or any other issues which are purely/clearly related to India’s internal matters.
• Events having foreign funding and sponsorship.
• Events involving sensitive subjects like politics, scientific and technical ( commercial or personal) with provisions of sharing data in any form.
• Participation of Central and State ministers, constitutional functionaries and govt officials, scientists, doctors etc, of senior ranks in virtual, physical, online international conferences, seminars, training etc.

A spoke person of Tata’s education institutions like TIFR commented that informing the government about conferences where international speakers are invited was always the norm, but earlier there were concerns of security breach, about delegates visiting sensitive locations. But now no participants are visiting the country physically and therefore, it should not be a problem. Earlier it  needed approval.  Now with new directives the respective departments will be flooded with requests and they will not be able to process on time  and Humanities will probably suffer more than science.

One another academician has commented, if there is concern of national security, in that case it is understandable. Otherwise in case of science, which is always international, any types of restrictions will be detrimental  for growth. Secondly if there is delay in getting the approval, which can impact the delegate’s participation. Most of the institutions which have linked  with left parties have started saying that it means closing down of democratic space and scientific interaction. When cyberspace is a free space where people discuss work and research freely.

These people have started asking ‘ how such controls can be exercised on Facebook and YouTube where anyone can participate or ask a question’. The fact is in today’s world science thrives on through international academic exchange and discussion, nowadays you need both physical and online modes for any subject to go into advance research.

Even presently govt scientists and doctors have to take permission for participation in meetings at institution and other levels.

Actually the problem is , there is no control in participation  of any one by MEA. This ministry knows about the actual credential of  any foreign institution and their people. Ministry does not want Indian doctors,   academicians  or scientists to interact  with people who are on their grey/black list, for country’s security.  In my opinion , it is better that MEA is going to give clearances and their prime concern will be nation’s security.

All these people who are cribbing or going to crib should understand that for any govt, nation’s security is of paramount importance. Earlier we have seen many so called intellectual people going overseas on govt expenses and start giving their comments on issues like Kashmir, Pakistan and India’s space programmes etc,  where these people are not at all experts or connected with the issues on which they talk openly at various forums. Yes we are democratic country, but it does not mean that any one in guise of free speech can say anything which can be harmful to the nation and give chance to foreign powers to comment adversely on any issue which is of national  importance.

One more thing some people including doctors, scientists or academicians in govt institutions look for opportunity to go to foreign countries to attend some seminar/discussions, which may or may not be useful. Such types of many instances used to happen during earlier regime and draining the precious foreign exchange. Now with  available digital technology full world is connected, and one need not to physically present in any such meetings. Throughout the last year during pandemic all the issues were discussed by all the concerns with the help of digital media, and the problem is that all these academicians, doctors or scientist who generally used to participate earlier in these types of seminars must be 50+ age bracken and most of them may not be digitally comfortable.

This is going to be tricky affairs in times to come, as govt has given directive for participation in virtual seminars. In future when the times comes for attending physical meetings, what is going to happen.

Waiting for your comments and views.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India