Women in Science are Catalysts of "Viksit Bharat": Dr. Jitendra Singh at National Science Day Celebration 2026

1. At a Glance

• National Science Day (NSD) 2026 commemorated on 28 February by DST with focal theme "Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat" [S1][S2].
• Main address at INSA Auditorium, New Delhi (27 Feb 2026) by Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS (IC) Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Atomic Energy and Space [S1].
• Convergence event: launched ANRF–Venture Centre Outreach Initiative, Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster, released Mission Innovation India Report, Indigenous Architecture of Northeast India book, and transferred DST-supported Nano Titania technology for heritage conservation [S1].
• Why care: Combines GS-III (S&T, R&D ecosystem) with GS-I/II (gender equity in STEM), and updates aspirants on ANRF, Mission Innovation, Hydrogen Mission — high probability Prelims hooks.

2. Why in the News

• NSD 2026 marked the 97th anniversary of Sir C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect (28 Feb 1928) [S2].
• Theme deliberately pivoted from 2025's "Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in S&T for Viksit Bharat" to a gender-focused mandate in 2026 [S2].
• Multiple flagship launches packaged into one event — ANRF outreach, Hydrogen Valley Cluster, Mission Innovation India Report [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• National Science Day instituted in 1986 by Govt. of India on proposal of NCSTC; first observed 28 Feb 1987, commemorating Raman Effect (1928) for which C.V. Raman won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics [S2].
• Nodal agency: Department of Science and Technology (DST) under Ministry of Science & Technology [S2].
• Women-in-Science trajectory: KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing), WISE-KIRAN (WOS-A/B/C), CURIE, GATI, Vigyan Jyoti programmes — feed into 2026 thematic framing [S1].
• ANRF established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023; subsumed SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008) [S3][S4].

4. Core Static Facts

• Theme NSD 2026: "Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat" [S1][S2].
• Venue of national event: INSA Auditorium, New Delhi; Date: 27 February 2026 [S1].
• Ministry: Ministry of Science & Technology — DST (lead); also DBT, CSIR, MoES under same umbrella [S1].
• ANRF corpus target: ₹50,000 crore over 2023–28 (ANRF Fund + Innovation Fund + SERF + Special Purpose Funds) [S3].
• ANRF flagship calls (5): PMECRG, EV-Mission, Inclusive Research Grant (IRG), PAIR, JC Bose Grant [S3][S4].
• Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster: anchored within National Green Hydrogen Mission ecosystem [S1].
• Mission Innovation: global initiative of 23 countries + EU launched at COP21 Paris (2015); India a founding member [S1].
• Nano Titania: DST-supported nanomaterial transferred for heritage stone conservation [S1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Scientific / Technological - ANRF–Venture Centre Outreach seeks to translate lab research into start-ups via the Pune-based Venture Centre (a CSIR-NCL incubator) [S1]. - Hydrogen Valley Cluster aligns with National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) target of 5 MMT/year green H₂ by 2030 [S1]. - Mission Innovation India Report documents clean-energy RD&D commitments under MI 2.0 (2021-26) [S1].

Social / Gender - Theme operationalises SDG-5 (gender equality) and SDG-9 (industry, innovation, infrastructure) linkage [S1]. - Jitendra Singh: structured lab exposure for girl students will yield a "multiplier effect" [S1]. - Builds on KIRAN/Vigyan Jyoti pipeline — addresses leaky pipeline of women in STEM (~14% R&D workforce historically).

Economic - ANRF mandates 70% private-sector contribution to its corpus — aims to lift India's GERD from ~0.65% to ~2% of GDP [S3]. - Outreach Initiative targets startup conversion of women-led research [S1].

Administrative / Governance - ANRF governance: PM as ex-officio President, Union Ministers (S&T, Education) as Vice-Presidents; subsumed SERB to consolidate research funding [S3][S4]. - Inter-ministerial: DST + MNRE (hydrogen) + MoC (heritage via Nano Titania) [S1].

Ethical - Minister's framing — measure scientific progress not by global rankings alone but by delivery of solutions to citizens [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 27 Feb 2026: ANRF–Venture Centre Outreach Initiative, Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster launched [S1].
• 27 Feb 2026: Mission Innovation India Report and Indigenous Architecture of Northeast India book released [S1].
• 27 Feb 2026: Nano Titania technology transferred for heritage conservation [S1].
• 28 Feb 2026: Parallel NSD events at IISER Pune, NIT Raipur, Agharkar Research Institute, all CSIR labs [S2].
• 2024-25: ANRF announced PAIR programme and J.C. Bose Grant call for proposals [S3][S4].
• Feb 2025: NSD 2025 theme — "Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in S&T for Viksit Bharat" [S2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• National Science Day commemorates discovery of the Raman Effect on 28 Feb 1928 [S2].
• NSD first observed: 1987; instituted on proposal of NCSTC, 1986 [S2].
• C.V. Raman won the Nobel in Physics in 1930 [S2].
• NSD 2026 theme: "Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat" [S1].
• NSD 2025 theme: "Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in S&T for Viksit Bharat" [S2].
• ANRF established under ANRF Act, 2023; subsumes SERB Act, 2008 [S3][S4].
• ANRF corpus target: ₹50,000 crore (2023–28) [S3].
• ANRF President (ex-officio): Prime Minister of India [S3].
• ANRF calls so far: PMECRG, EV-Mission, IRG, PAIR, JC Bose Grant [S3].
• Venture Centre (partner of ANRF outreach) is a CSIR-NCL Pune incubator [S1].
• Mission Innovation launched at COP21 Paris, 2015; India is a founding member [S1].
• National Green Hydrogen Mission approved Jan 2023; outlay ₹19,744 crore; target 5 MMT/year by 2030 — relevant context for Hydrogen Valley Cluster [S1].
• 2026 NSD national event venue: INSA Auditorium, New Delhi [S1].
• Nano Titania (TiO₂ nanomaterial) — DST tech for heritage stone conservation [S1].
• Nodal ministry of NSD: DST under Ministry of Science & Technology (not MoES, not MeitY) [S1][S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III — Science & Technology: "Achievements of Indians in S&T; indigenization of technology and developing new technology" — ANRF, Mission Innovation, Green Hydrogen.
• GS-II — Government policies & welfare for vulnerable sections (women) — Vigyan Jyoti, GATI.
• GS-I — Society: Role of women; women's empowerment in STEM.

Probable stems: 1. "ANRF marks a paradigm shift from input-based to outcome-based research funding in India. Discuss." (GS-III) 2. "Discuss the structural barriers to women's participation in Indian R&D and evaluate recent DST interventions." (GS-I/II) 3. "Examine the role of mission-mode programmes (Green Hydrogen, Mission Innovation) in aligning India's S&T with Viksit Bharat @2047." (GS-III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• ANRF Act, 2023 — governance, funding architecture, SERB subsumption.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) — Hydrogen Valley linkage.
• Mission Innovation 2.0 (2021-26) — India's clean-energy missions (Clean Hydrogen, Bio-refineries).
• Vigyan Jyoti, GATI, KIRAN, CURIE schemes — women in STEM continuum.
• India's GERD & private R&D — Economic Survey chapter linkage.
• IndiaAI Mission & Semiconductor Mission — sibling deep-tech missions.
• C.V. Raman & Raman Effect — physics fundamentals, Prelims static.
• Viksit Bharat @2047 vision document — overarching framework.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• ANRF is not under MeitY — it is under DST [S3].
• ANRF subsumed SERB; SERB Act 2008 stands repealed (not co-existing) [S4].
• NSD is 28 February, not 28 January (National Youth Day) or 11 May (National Technology Day).
• Mission Innovation was launched at COP21 (2015), not at any G20.
• Theme is "Catalyzing" Viksit Bharat (women as catalysts) — not "Leading" or "Driving"; PIB headline uses "Catalysts" [S1].
• Venture Centre is in Pune (CSIR-NCL campus), not Bengaluru.

11. Sources

• [S1] Women in Science are Catalysts of "Viksit Bharat": Dr. Jitendra Singh at National Science Day Celebration 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2233586 — (tier 1)
• [S2] National Science Day 2026 Celebrations at IISER Pune / NSD 2025 theme release — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2233521 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2106748 — (tier 1)
• [S3] Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) — https://dst.gov.in/anusandhan-national-research-foundation-anrf — (tier 1)
• [S4] Parliament Question: ANRF; Provisions of ANRF Act come into force; PAIR launch — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2117881 ; https://dst.gov.in/provisions-anrf-act-comes-force ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2073282 — (tier 1)