Stemming the rot by making science attractive

In an effort to reverse the decline in the number of students taking up science as a subject of study and to revamp the education system, particularly at the university level, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had recently given the assurance that the Government was “committed to building the science base in universities.” There is a compelling need to change course, as science has been losing out to other disciplines, particularly the professional courses, in attracting students. Sadly, the lack of interest in science sets in much before students leave school.

A study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) reveals that less than 3% of school children want to pursue a career in science. The current education system in schools that lays emphasis on rote learning fails to kindle interest in science, not to speak of creating a passion for it. It is fairly obvious that the quality of teaching in schools needs to improve if more students are to be attracted to the science stream.

For their part, universities have long abandoned the accent on research and have merely become teaching centres, killing the enthusiasm of even the few motivated students. There is much to be gained if only Dr. Singh is able to deliver on his promise to provide the much-needed autonomy to science and technology institutions.

But the task of stemming the rot at the school level will remain unaddressed. That a two-pronged approach is necessary cannot be over-emphasised as both levels of education have an important role to play in creating and sustaining interest in science. This is particularly relevant in a context where engineering and information technology with its promise of attractive salaries, better working conditions, and faster career growth have over the years been weaning students away from science.

Even if a career in science may not match other fields on many counts, the least that the government can do is to revisit the salary structure of scientists and provide better infrastructure, besides sufficient funds, to make science an attractive option. Motivated students naturally gravitate towards centres that provide such facilities. Dr. Singh’s assurance that “we will create exciting career opportunities for scientists so that we can retain our talent at home” has come not a day too soon. Not just retaining domestic talent but attracting talent from other countries as well should be the goal. Only a comprehensive approach to the complex phenomenon can see India emerge as one of the scientifically advanced nations.

Published in The Hindu on September 19, 2006