Published: 27 February 2026PIBGeneral
National Science Day 2026 Celebrated on February 28 with Theme 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat'
National Science Day was celebrated across India on February 28, 2026, marking the 98th anniversary of the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C.V. Raman on February 28, 1928. The theme for 2026 is 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat', recognising the pivotal role of women scientists in driving India's journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman discovered the phenomenon — later called the Raman Effect — whereby the wavelength of light changes when scattered by molecules. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for this discovery. The Government of India declared February 28 as National Science Day in 1986, with the first celebration held in 1987. The 2026 theme highlights women's contributions in STEM, space, defence, healthcare, and environmental science. India has made notable strides — with women scientists leading ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission, heading DRDO laboratories, and contributing to the development of indigenous vaccines. Science Day 2026 encourages young students to pursue scientific careers and reinforces the role of scientific temper as a fundamental duty under Article 51A(h) of the Indian Constitution.
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Q: Discuss the significance of National Science Day 2026, its theme on women in science, and the constitutional basis of scientific temper.
Answer (50 words):
National Science Day was observed on 28 February 2026 with theme 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat', marking the 98th anniversary of Sir C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect on 28 February 1928, for which he won the 1930 Nobel Prize. Scientific temper is enshrined under Article 51A(h).
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The development regarding National Science Day 2026, celebrated on February 28 with the theme 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat', primarily falls under which category?
Explanation · Correct answer BNational Science Day is observed on February 28 to mark C. V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect. The 2026 theme, 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat', is directly related to science, technology and scientific inclusion, so the correct category is Science and Technology.
Frequently asked questions
Why is National Science Day celebrated on February 28 every year?
National Science Day is celebrated on February 28 to commemorate C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect on this date in 1928. The Government of India officially designated February 28 as National Science Day in 1986.
What was the theme of National Science Day 2026?
The theme of National Science Day 2026 was 'Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat', marking the 98th anniversary of the discovery of the Raman Effect.
What is the Raman Effect and what is its significance?
The Raman Effect describes the inelastic scattering of photons by molecules, discovered by C.V. Raman in 1928. It is widely used in spectroscopy, medicine, and material science, and earned Raman the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
What was the historic significance of C.V. Raman's Nobel Prize in 1930?
C.V. Raman's Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 was the first Nobel Prize awarded to an Asian scientist in the sciences, making it a landmark achievement for India and the broader Asian scientific community.
What is the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) established in 2023?
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established in 2023 to increase India's science budget and boost research and development, aiming to strengthen scientific innovation across the country.
