The CSIR

New Delhi, Jan. 15: India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has stumbled into a mess unparalleled in its 65-year history, with a newly appointed director-general accepting and then declining the position.

Some scientists have linked the development to discontent in scientific circles over the choice of the DG-designate, who has been accused of bias in running his own institution.

The Centre had announced in November that V. Prakash, director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore, had been picked to succeed Raghunath Mashelkar, who laid down office on December 31.

Prakash had spent three weeks at the council headquarters in December as an “understudy” at Mashelkar’s suggestion. But in the last week of December, he declined the position citing health grounds.

Science and technology minister Kapil Sibal said Prakash had been diagnosed in December with an illness of the intestine that would need long treatment.

Prakash was not available for comments, but Mashelkar joined Sibal in insisting that Prakash’s decision was related only to his health.

Mashelkar had described Prakash as a scientist with “unbound energy, enthusiasm and commitment” who could take the CSIR to great heights. “He is an excellent leader. This illness is most unfortunate,” Mashelkar said.

The government has appointed biotechnology secretary M.K. Bhan as acting director-general for three months while the search for a new DG resumes. “I want this resolved as soon as possible,” Sibal said.

But scientists said there had been some discontent over the choice of Prakash. Researchers from the CFTRI had questioned his candidature while others were concerned that the selection panel had not consulted all the potential candidates from the other laboratories.

Some scientists argue certain laboratories in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Panaji have performed better than the CFTRI, and their directors should at least have been consulted.

Nine CFTRI scientists had written to the Prime Minister — who is president of the CSIR — questioning Prakash’s candidature, after getting details under the Right to Information Act.

Their letter, sent in October and backed by documents from the Central Vigilance Commission and the National Commission for Minorities, cites irregularities in CFTRI appointments and promotions.

A senior CSIR scientist, however, told The Telegraph that such complaints relating to top appointments are not surprising. “It often happens in our system.”

In a letter to Prakash on January 3, 2006, the minorities commission had said that during his tenure as director, “The minority community officials at the CFTRI have all along been ignored whenever there is any chance to give them a position of status.”

In another document of July 22, 2003, the vigilance panel, examining a case relating to appointments, had said: “(The) omissions detected are not routine slips. On the contrary, they cast doubts on the bona fides of the selection committee.”

“Under these circumstances, in the interest of science and technology progress, we appeal to you… to examine independently whether Dr V. Prakash should be considered for the position of DG CSIR,” the CFTRI scientists wrote to Manmohan Singh.

The CSIR has India’s largest cluster of public-funded research laboratories engaged in diverse areas: biology, drugs, chemicals, electronics, aerospace, earth sciences and materials sciences.