Allahabad: Nobel Laureates attending the Science Conclave at the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) have expressed their disappointment with the Indian national media for its step-motherly treatment of an otherwise significant event.

They voiced their opinion with the common refrain, "In the West, the national media tracks and covers scientific events with a vengeance. However, we are surprised that in India, the national media treats the Science Conclave as a local event and has failed to give it national coverage."

Full Coverage of the Science Conclave 2008

A panel discussion was held on the fourth day of the Science Conclave which included IIIT-A founding director Dr. M.D. Tiwari, Prof. U.S. Tiwari, Prof. G.C. Nandi, Prof. Radhakrishnan, Prof. D.N. Talwar and Nobel Laureates Prof. Jerome Friedman, Prof. Harold Kroto and Prof. Martin Perl.

All laureates stressed on the need for the 'system' to promote science and scientific education in the country.

According to Prof. Harold Kroto, "Children and youngsters have a natural curiosity to learn, develop ideas and experiment; but we kill it all with our money mindedness and corporate culture stress. The stress is only on getting a high-paying job, even if that job may not involve any higher learning at all. Certain professions that pay well or earn quick fame are glamourised by the media while the study of science or higher education is relegated to the back benches."

Models, party animals and celebrities are covered daily by most publications on Page 3, but have you ever seen a scientist or researcher featured regularly in the newspapers?

Even if they are, they are pushed to one corner of the paper. Most page one photographs cover only models and actors. Do you ever see a scientist, professor or teacher on page one, irrespective of his or her contribution to the common well of knowledge?

These were some of the views expressed both by students and the panelists who agreed that the print and television media had a cardinal role to play in the formation of young minds and the general fabric of the nation.

The media has to create role models for the youth, which should also include icons from the scientific domain, they felt.

The media has a very important role to play in developing a scientific temper amongst the youth in the country. Glamorizing or sensationalizing professions like acting, modeling etc and ignoring other professions like research, pure sciences and teaching is detrimental in the long run.

"How much time is devoted to 'Teacher's Day' by the mass media? How many scientists or technocrats are featured or interviewed each month by the mainline channels?" These and others were some of the questions debated upon at the panel discussion.

By: Flynn Remedios at IIIT-Allahabad