National Science Day (India)2026 · Date · History · Messages
India’s Department of Science and Technology states that National Science Day is celebrated every year on February 28 to commemorate the Raman Effect; Government of India 2026 material confirms the annual date.
About National Science Day (India)
National Science Day in India is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by physicist C. V. Raman. Government of India science agencies use the day for science communication, public engagement and educational activities across the country.
The observance has a documented institutional origin. Government material states that the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) requested the designation in 1986, the Government of India accepted it, and the first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987.
Why National Science Day (India) matters
National Science Day is designed to strengthen public appreciation of science and encourage curiosity, scientific awareness and engagement with research. Annual themes can change, so a theme from one edition should not be treated as permanent.
The date also links a modern public-science observance to a specific event in Indian scientific history: 28 February 1928, associated in Government of India material with Raman’s announcement of the effect that later carried his name.
History of National Science Day (India)
Government of India sources identify 28 February 1928 with C. V. Raman’s announcement of the Raman Effect. Raman later received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for work connected with the scattering of light.
In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication requested that the Government of India designate 28 February as National Science Day. Government material states that the request was accepted.
The first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987. NCSTC within the Department of Science and Technology continues to act as a nodal agency supporting and coordinating celebrations in scientific institutions and through state science-and-technology bodies.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC)
Press Information Bureau states that in 1986 NCSTC requested the Government of India to designate 28 February as National Science Day.
Government of India
Government of India material states that the NCSTC request was accepted and 28 February was designated as National Science Day in 1986.
First documented observance
The 2024 PIB Research Unit explainer states that the first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987.
National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology
Government of India releases identify NCSTC/DST as the nodal agency supporting, catalysing and coordinating National Science Day celebrations.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Science Day
How to Observe National Science Day (India)
Visit a science museum, laboratory open house, public lecture or school science event and focus on understanding one scientific question in depth.
Learn what the Raman Effect is from a reliable educational or scientific source and distinguish the physical phenomenon from the history of its discovery.
Organise a small experiment, demonstration, quiz or discussion that encourages participants to ask testable questions and evaluate evidence.
Check the current year’s official National Science Day theme before using it in event materials, because themes change from year to year.
National Science Day (India) Facts
National Science Day in India is observed every year on 28 February.
The observance commemorates the Raman Effect associated with C. V. Raman.
Government of India material states that NCSTC requested the designation in 1986 and the Government accepted it.
For National Science Day (India), the first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987.
NCSTC within the Department of Science and Technology acts as a nodal agency for coordinating and supporting celebrations.
National Science Day (India) Messages
Happy National Science Day—may curiosity, evidence and thoughtful questioning continue to shape how we understand the world.
Wishing students, teachers, researchers and science communicators a meaningful National Science Day filled with discovery and learning.
May National Science Day encourage more people to ask good questions, test ideas carefully and appreciate the value of scientific inquiry.
On National Science Day, celebrate the people who explore, explain and apply science while inspiring the next generation to stay curious.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Press Information Bureau Research Unit — National Science Day explainer, 28 February 2024 (opens in a new tab)
Press Information Bureau — National Science Day (28 February), 28 February 2024 (opens in a new tab)
Department of Science and Technology — National Science Day history (opens in a new tab)
Press Information Bureau — NCSTC/DST coordination role (opens in a new tab)
India DST — National Science Day Celebration (opens in a new tab)
National Government
Press Information Bureau — National Science Day 2026 (opens in a new tab)
National Government
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Science Day (India)?
28 February annually The documented recurrence rule is: 28 February.
Does National Science Day (India) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Science Day (India) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: India / national science observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Science Day (India)?
The reviewed sources identify Government of India as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC). Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology.
Is National Science Day (India) international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to India. Its fuller verified scope is: India / national science observance.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is National Science Day in India?
It is celebrated every year on 28 February.
Why is National Science Day on 28 February?
Government of India sources connect 28 February with C. V. Raman’s announcement of the Raman Effect in 1928.
When was National Science Day first celebrated?
Government of India research material identifies 28 February 1987 as the first National Science Day.
Other observances on February 28
These observances are also listed on February 28, 2027.
Día de Andalucía
Junta de Andalucía; permanent regional holiday designation
Floral Design Day
Smithsonian Libraries documents Floral Design Day on February 28, created around floral educator Carl Rittner’s birthday and enacted by a 1995 Massachusetts gubernatorial proclamation.
Global Scouse Day
Global Scouse Day organizers; supported by Liverpool institutions and venues
National Chocolate Souffle Day
Two ANFP Wyoming chapter calendars list National Chocolate Souffle Day on February 28.
National Vegan Lipstick Day
National Day Archives records February 28 as National Vegan Lipstick Day and identifies CakeLipps as the 2020 founder; the date commemorates the founders’ grandmother’s birthday.
Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)
Taiwan legal sources designate February 28 as Peace Memorial Day. The February 28 Incident Act was promulgated in 1995 and amended in February 1997 to designate the day as a national memori…