Bureaucratic hurdles are reportedly delaying India’s prospect to be a member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).

CERN was instrumental in the discovery of the “God particle” – Higgs Boson – in Geneva in July.

Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Director-General, said CERN had not received any application from India for joining the council as an associate member.

“Delay in administrative approvals as well as political indecisions are responsible for this,” Heuer said at a seminar organised jointly by the Centre For Natural Sciences and Philosophy and The Critical Issues Forum here on Monday.

The membership would be a boon for the industries as well as for the scientific community in India, he said. According to CERN norms, India will have to make an annual contribution of 10 million Swiss Francs to become an associate member. Currently, India holds an ‘observer’ status, which allows it to monitor the proceedings at the council meetings and also formally participate when invited. Bikash Sinha, Homi Bhabha Professor of the Department of Atomic Energy, said formalities for the membership were almost worked out and only an approval from the Finance Ministry was pending.“The only thing required is the Finance Ministry's sanction, which is a matter of time. I think India will be an associate member before Dussehra (October 28),” Sinha said.

>ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in