IIT-Bombay's 'Garbhavigyan' event sparks row; students question legitimacy, dub it 'pseudoscience'
IIT Bombay's upcoming "Garbhavigyan" event, focusing on Ayurvedic pregnancy practices, has sparked controversy on campus. Some students criticize it as pseudoscience, especially after the institute cancelled a gender panel. Officials defend the event as an opportunity to discuss traditional Indian knowledge and practices.
FollowIIT Bombay is facing a wave of criticism after it announced an upcoming event on "Garbhavigyan" (the science of begetting a good progeny), scheduled for January 18. The event, organized by a collective at the institute, will be led by an Ayurveda expert from Sanskruti Arya Gurukulam. The announcement has sparked a debate on campus, with some students voicing concerns that the event promotes "pseudoscience," especially in an institution known for its scientific and engineering focus.
The event's promotional mail highlighted topics that would be covered, including the factors influencing a child's internal and external qualities, the role of ancestors in shaping the child’s characteristics, the health of the mother and fetus during pregnancy, and the importance of mental and physical preparation before pregnancy. The session will also discuss "garbhasanskar" (pregnancy care rituals) and the consequences of neglecting care during pregnancy. The mail stated that the event would be open to researchers, young adults, parents, and educators, reported TOI.
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The controversy stems from the fact that many students feel that hosting such an event at an esteemed engineering institute like IIT Bombay lends it unnecessary credibility. They point out that the institution recently cancelled a talk organized by the gender cell on workplace struggles and replaced it with different speakers. Some students now believe that this could set a troubling precedent for promoting unscientific beliefs in the name of culture and tradition.
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A student expressed disappointment, noting the contrast between the cancellation of a panel discussion on important social issues and the hosting of an event that appears to be rooted in practices considered unscientific by many. "On one hand, the institute wants to prevent students from learning about the challenges women face in the workplace, but on the other hand, it is teaching pseudoscience about pregnancy under the guise of science," the student said.
However, an institute official defended the event, stating that it was organized by the Sanskrit Cell and would be conducted by an expert in Ayurveda. The official explained that Garbhavigyan, meaning the "systematic study of pregnancy," highlights healthy pregnancy practices from Ayurveda based on centuries of experience. The official also emphasized that the event was not politically sensitive and did not require approval from the institute's review committee. "Indian knowledge and science should be open for discussion," the official stated.
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