‘Nightmarish, unfortunate’: Researchers in shock over KVPY scrapping

NEW DELHI: Scientists, researchers, and PhD students expressed shock and dismay over the decision of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to cancel the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) exam and subsume it with Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) fellowship.

“DST has decided to subsume KVPY with INSPIRE. KVPY Aptitude test will not be conducted from the year 2022 onwards. Ongoing KVPY fellows will continue to receive fellowship as per norms from DST,” said the official website.

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Several IISER, IISc professors and students took to Twitter slamming the government for taking the “terrible” decision.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) professor Arindam Ghosh called the discontinuation of the KVPY exam an “unfortunate decision”.

Discontinuation of KVPY examination is an unfortunate decision.

— Arindam Ghosh (@ArindamPhysics) July 19, 2022

Indian Institute of Science Education Research (IISER) Kolkata researcher Ayan Banerjee expressed shock and tweeted, “This is completely nightmarish! KVPY - the programme that enthused young, bright minds to get into science suddenly stopped - completely out of the blue! This was the programme that has perenially given the IISER system some of its best undergrad students! And now - without any consultation with stakeholders - DST decides to withdraw it!! I am shocked beyond words!”

This is completely nightmarish! KVPY - the programme that enthused young, bright minds to get into science suddenly stopped - completely out of the blue! This was the programme that has perenially given the IISER system some of its best undergrad students! #1/n

— Ayan Banerjee (@ayanban7) July 18, 2022

IISER Behrampur assisstant professor termed the decision as “absolutely rubbish” and tweeted, “That’s absolutely pathetic. KVPY remains to be the cream of the students that we get in IISERs. For really good students, who do not want get sucked into the craze of IIT JEE etc., KVPY is a perfect option. In what world this scrapping makes sense?”

That’s absolutely pathetic. KVPY remains to be the cream of the students that we get in IISERs. For really good students, who do not want get sucked into the craze of IIT JEE etc., KVPY is a perfect option. In what world this scrapping makes sense?

— Bodhisatta Nandy (@nbodhi84) July 18, 2022

A faculty member at IISc Bengaluru said, “Very unfortunate that KVPY is gone and "subsumed" by the INSPIRE program. Its like a long pleasant dream which suddenly turned into a nightmare.”

Very unfortunate that KVPY is gone and "subsumed" by the INSPIRE program. Its like a long pleasant dream which suddenly turned into a nightmare.https://t.co/bo1zTXCBOT

— V R Supradeepa (@vrsupradeepa) July 19, 2022

A Bachelor of Science student called it a “terrible decision”. “I feel this is a terrible decision. As someone who gave all three exams, I know that the percentage of research oriented people giving KVPY is much higher than JEE/NEET. Further, the rank requirements for all of them have been same,” he tweeted.

I feel this is a terrible decision. As someone who gave all three exams, I know that the percentage of research oriented people giving KVPY is much higher than JEE/NEET. Further, the rank requirements for all of them have been same (~200). (2/n)

— Lakshya Chauhan (@Lakshya3141) July 18, 2022

An IISER Pune student said in a tweet, “DISGRACE!!!! KVPY was (yeah in past tense!) a significantly better way judging basic science oriented kids than JEE/NEET for UG education. Also gone is the little semblance of economic independence for the younger students. Rest in peace dear KVPY, you did a lot of good!”

DISGRACE!!!!
KVPY was (yeah in past tense!) a significantly better way judging basic science oriented kids than JEE/NEET for UG education. Also gone is the little semblance of economic independence for the younger students. Rest in peace dear KVPY, you did a lot of good! https://t.co/O1FGXxyrmW

— Kshitij Deshpande (@kshitijDesh) July 18, 2022

For an undergraduate student at BITS Pilani Goa, KVPY was “one exam that actually selects students on their ability to work in science research.”

In a country with an already fucked up research scenario, you stop one exam that actually selects students on their ability to work in science research?
KVPY is a Fellowship, far superior than the usual JEE/NEET shitshow. And you scrap that?

— Mαx Bʅαɳƙ ?‍? | What the hell is tragedy? I am (@shreyas_ofc) July 18, 2022

“This is the worst decision by the government. KVPY was a beacon of hope, for students interested in sciences that there is a way. It motivated them to do better,” said an IIT Patna researcher.

This is the worst decision by the government.

KVPY was a beacon of hope, for students interested in sciences that there is a way. It motivated them to do better. https://t.co/261S6Xocl1

— Neel Vadodaria / નીલ વડોદરીયા (@Neelv1998) July 18, 2022