Public Relations for Indian Science Institutions

Indian science is a victim of lack of proper public relations (PR). The concept of public relations in science has not got any significance in the country. India’s research and development (R&D) institutions are not equipped properly with the sophisticated tools of PR. The power of PR tools is not being fully and seriously explored to promote Indian science in the media and in raising the public understanding of science.

Lack of PRs is evident from the fact that almost none of the R&D institutions in the country has resources for the media and the public on their websites. Forget about the engagement in interactive and participatory events with the public/media. At random, a visit to the websites of these institutions will reveal the truth.

Most of the S&T institutions in the country, if not all, do not have dedicated PR professionals for taking science to the public directly or through the media. Scientists themselves rarely involve in PR activities. This creates a void in the communication process between science and the society. Science done in the publicly funded laboratories should percolate down to the masses in the way, format and language they can understand. Scientists keep themselves busy in peer-to-peer communication, be it writing research papers or reports, presenting papers in conferences, seminars, symposia, etc. They get little time (and interest) for communicating their science down to the public.

Therefore, there should be a mechanism for communicating science done in our laboratories to the general public in easily digestible packages. People pay tax and their tax money is used in funding scientific research. They have every right to know what science is being done out of their money paid as tax.

Science policy makers and science administrators should ensure that in every institution or laboratory, there is a PR shell or at least a PR Officer (PRO) who can act as a mediator between scientists and the society. There should be provisions for recruiting PR specialists in science or science communicators for this purpose. Every laboratory/institution should have at least one PRO or Science Communicator who is trained to professionally deal with the public and the media while simultaneously presenting science in various possible formats by using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to the end users and feeding the media with the much needed Indian science news and views in the local, national and international media/press.

It is worthy to mention here that National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, is running M.Sc./PGD courses in science communication/science journalism at different universities in the country where science graduates are being trained professionally for communicating science to the different stakeholders. These professionals can better act as a link between R&D institutions and the society/media. But unfortunately, such courses are being run in a void as there are no provisions for absorbing the pass outs in our R&D institutions. Creating trained professionals without creating employment opportunities is ironical and pathetic. Recruitment rules in our R&D institutions are still old not recognizing science communication degrees for employment. Further, there are no positions like PROs and science communicators. Policy makers and science administrators should look into this matter urgently.

In our local and national media/press, we hardly find any Indian science stories. No or little coverage in the media does not mean that no news worthy science is being done in the country. In fact, many science stories which may have international value simply remain buried in the research libraries just because of poor (or no) PR skills. Scientists are gagged from speaking to the media. And professional PR services are not available in most of our R&D institutions.

In this age of publicity and branding, Indian science institutions should now wake up and take on PR issues related to science seriously. Provisions should be made for continuous and regular feed of Indian science stories in the local, national and international media so as to reach the maximum possible audience. Exposing the Indian science to the various media will attract people to realize the advances being made in the Indian science. This exposure will, in turn, bring fame and honour to Indian science and the institutions.

Hiring appropriate PR and science communication professionals in our R&D labs and institutions is the need of the hour. This will bring the Indian science to the forefront and will bring the much needed visibility to Indian science on the local, national, regional and international platforms.

 © Abhay S.D. Rajput, 2012