INSA-SERB Essay Competition

About INSA-SERB Essay Competition on ‘Our Lives & the Sciences: During and After the Pandemic’

Under INSA-SERB programme, essays are invited on the theme, ‘Our Lives & the Sciences: During and After the Pandemic’.

Indian National Science Academy (INSA) is a premier Science Academy of India and an autonomous institution of the Dept. Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi. The Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) is also under DST and was established through an act of Parliament. The nation will be celebrating Amritotsav during 2021-2022 to commemorate the 75 years of independence and continues working to attain freedom from the Pandemic.

We have seen how life has been affected in all its dimensions on account of the pandemic Covid-19. In addition to the financial (including job situation), personal and health scenarios and changing work culture, it has modified the focus of research, and has also severely influenced the working in the laboratories too especially where constant monitoring and interaction were required.

With vaccination drive in full swing, hopes for a recovery soar but the challenges are tall and, in fact, not yet fully known. The emphasis in the essay should be not only on a realistic assessment of the situation and a discussion on the challenge posed by the emerging new variants but also on some possible constructive solutions to the problems faced in the society and also in the laboratories. The changes in life style, relations, values, work culture which are perceived after the pandemic may also be highlighted. The style, clarity, language etc. will also be given weight in evaluation.

Rules & Regulations:

1. The essay should be single authored and one person can submit only one essay.
2. There are four groups (Academic qualification-wise and not age-wise). The group will be determined based on the highest degree earned. The entrant is expected to clearly indicate the category under which entered. The four groups are:

I. Graduates and Post Graduates in science
II. Graduates/ Post graduates in management, engineering, and medical science
III. People with doctoral (PhD) or higher degrees
IV. Open category which is open to all, other than the above three categories

3. The first page of the submission should be sent in text also (in addition to being part of the attachment). This page must carry the following information:

I. Title of the essay
II. Full name
III. Institution, if applicable
IV. Complete Address (please also include correspondence address, if different)
V. E-mail
VI. Mobile or landline phone number(s)
VII. Category in which entered (one out of I to IV)
VIII. No. of words in the essay (excluding title, and other details)
IX. Class/ highest degree cleared and/ or being pursued
X. Any other relevant information
XI. Declaration of originality, and acceptance of rules (“This is my unpublished original writing. I have not published/ sent for publication or submitted this anywhere else. I have read and I accept the rules and regulations of the competition and shall abide by the decisions of INSA”)

4. Broadly, the evaluation will take into account the material in the essay like facts, assessment of the situation, description of the measures taken, assessment of future scenarios, suggested constructive and creative solutions, the style & language, and the overall impact of the essay.

5. Essays should be submitted as an attachment in e-mail. The essay should be in English language, in A4 size, as MS Word files (Times New Roman, 11point). The first page of info (mentioned under Point-3 above) should be as covering material also (in text).

6. Length of the essay (excluding info etc.) should be between 1500 and 3000 words, and should reach INSA by e-mail at InsaEssay2021@gmail.com by mid night of 30th of August, 2021 (intervening night of 30th and 31st August). Any other correspondence should be sent to InsaEssayCorrespondence@gmail.com and NOT to the ID at which entry was sent.

7. Evaluation will be done by a set of judges constituted by INSA, whose decision will be final. In consultation with the President, INSA, they may also take decisions in view of functionality.

8. There will be first (one), second (one), third (up to two) and Special Prizes (up to three) in each group (Group I, II, III and IV) with cash amounts of Rs. 7500/-, 5000/-, 3500/- and 2000/- respectively. The amounts will be bank-transferred in the winners’ account about a month after declaration of results. If the judges recommend so, INSA may change the number of prizes.

9. The award to an essay will not imply endorsement of INSA for the views expressed in the essay by the entrant.

10. The winning entries will become property of INSA.

11. INSA reserves the right to demand any required document in case of ambiguity or doubt regarding the information/ material furnished by the entrant.

Information Document

Official Website : https://www.insaindia.res.in/

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