Scientific Social Responsibility
Also called: SSR · Topic: Civil Services: Role, Accountability and Reforms · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) is the idea that scientists have a duty to share their knowledge with society. Their work is mostly paid for with public money, so the public should benefit from what they learn. The Department of Science & Technology (DST) set this out in its SSR Guidelines, 2022. In practice, SSR is usually something scientists do in their spare time, not anyone's main job. So the guidelines suggest counting SSR work in a scientist's yearly appraisal (the annual review of their performance).
Example
Under the SSR Guidelines, 2022, a scientist at a government research institute might give a public lecture, write a popular article in simple language, or take in school or college students as interns. Each of these counts as an SSR activity.
Don't confuse with
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): under the Companies Act, 2013, certain companies must spend money on social causes. SSR asks scientists to share knowledge, not to spend a fixed sum.
- National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC): a DST body that funds science popularisation and trains people in science communication. SSR is a duty placed on individual scientists and institutions. NCSTC is the body that gives the money.