The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has issued a clarification concerning recent media reports alleging a contradiction in its responses to Parliamentary questions regarding the first Indian state to implement a science policy. The department emphasised that the two queries raised in 2022 and 2025 differed in both scope and intent, and that the replies provided were accurate and aligned with the specific questions posed.

In response to a Parliamentary Question dated 21 July 2022, which sought to ascertain whether any state government had ever initiated a science policy since India’s independence, the DST cited Gujarat’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy of 2018. This response did not claim Gujarat as the first state chronologically but served as a representative example, which was consistent with the wording and requirements of the original query.

By contrast, a Parliamentary Question answered on 13 March 2025 sought details of all states that had implemented science policies and specifically asked which was the first to do so post-independence. In reply, the DST provided a detailed list of states and their respective policy years:

Kerala (1974 & 2002) Gujarat (2018) Himachal Pradesh (2021) Madhya Pradesh (2022)

DST further clarified that Kerala was the first state to implement a science policy in 1974, thus directly and factually addressing the revised scope of the 2025 question.

The department underlined that no contradiction exists between the two responses. The apparent disparity stems from the differing context and phrasing of the questions raised in Parliament. The DST reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, factual accuracy, and accountability in all official communications and responses, especially in the context of Parliamentary proceedings