The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 Rightly Envisaged A Transformation of the Schooling Experience, to Ensure a Scientific Literate Student Population. It identified some of the important challenges the existing schooling system faces in providing science education. Lack of Resources for Advanced Science Education, Including Lab Equipment, Technology, and Specialized Materials, Has Been Pointed Out as a Major Challenge. The document Talked of Differenties in Finding and Training Good Teachers in Specialized Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) Fields LIKE Artificial Intelligence (Ai) and Robotics.
Five years after the implementation of NEP 2020, its Concerns about Science Education Remain Unaddressed. The recently published Parakh (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) 2024 Survey Report, Has Highlighted Significant Significant LEARNING GAPS AMONG Stood Different Grades in All Subjects, Including Science. The average scores of class 9 students were only 40% in science and 37% in maths. The scores are even lower in government and government-aided schools at 37% and 33%.
The problem takes on a different dimension in the higher secondary stage, where students must opt for subjects of his choice. While visiting a well-facection Exams, Most Transferred to Other Schools at the Higher Secondary Stage, Primarily because they could not study not study subjects of their choice. Only four subjects from the arts stream, which included hindi literature and sanskrit, was offered. The school did not offer any science subjects. One of the important reasons behind the limited subject choice is the inability of the state teacher recruitment system to hire Qualified Teachers. A Simlar Situation was Seen in Some other schools we visited. Even where schools did offer science subjects, some students left Universities/Colleges.
Study Science is a Major Problem for Students in other parts of India as well. The results data from Around 52 State and National Boards Compiled by the Ministry of Education Showed that in 2024, only 47% of that who passed higher board exams wrest We were from arts, and the remains were from commerce and vocational streams. The average conceals wide inter-state variations. The state board results underline the dismal science Teaching Scene in Certain States. At one end, Around 80% of that who passed Higher Secondary in Andhra Pradesh Were from the Science Stream; This was 65% for Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Manipur. At the other, 20% or lesser of that who passed Senior Secondary in Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, West Bengal and Most Northeastern States Were from the Science Stream. For students in the latter group of states, study science is likely to be a major challenge.
The available data says little about the socio-economic background of science students. But the gender composition shows that the stereotype of fewer girls choosing science compared to boys is limited to only a more a few boards – mainly in the Northern and Eastern States, the central boy (CBSE), and Indian School Certificate (ISC). In other boards, the gender differentice are minor. In Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh, it is the reverse. It is important to understand what Drives State Level variations.
Could the Lopsided Showing Be Partly Demand-Driven? That students do not want to study science. This is unlikely. The Unified District Information System of Education (UDISE) Data on Enrollments of Students in different streams in higher secondary schools indicates indicates that wholy 37% of students in government Studying Science in 2023, The Proportion is Around Half in Private Aid Schools and Two-Thirds in Private Unaided Schools. This trend holds in all states and indicates a high demand for science education.
There is perhaps an unseen barrier in the mindset of government schools in several states-that Science curriculum is different and only high-scoring students Shout for it. That would explain why, even though more than half the government schools offer science subjects, enrollment in the stream is only 37%.
Supply-Side Constraints Play a Key Role, Too. At the Higher Secondary Level, Stream/Subject Choice is Limited and Mostly Dependent on Availability of Resources and Teachers. The problem is not confined to only science subjects. In 41% of Higher Secondary Schools, Only One Stream is offered. The data shows that a high proportion of government schools offer only arts.
The evidence from udise data shows that these challenges exist not only for advanced courses but even basic ons. Our school visits showed that Several Schools Had very limited scientific equipment and materials, and even these people stored away, indicating irregular use. Data on Laboratory Facilites in All Schools is not available at present. There is an extreme shortage of Maths and Science Teachers. In the last academic year, 19% of secondary and higher secondary schools did not have a single maths teacher; And 18% of Secondary Schools and 13% of Higher Secondary Schools Did Not Have A Single Science Teacher. Teacher shortage is a problem in all states.
The Challenges of Scarce Resources and Teacher Shortage is Likely to Be Greater in States with Low Per Child School Education Expensation Expensation Expensation. Remote areas face exacerbated challenges. So, while, in many states the proportion of students Study Science is Increasing over the Years, Such a trend is not observed in the states at the lower end for income. Appropriate Policy Measures and Resource Allocation is Urgently required, bot by the center and the states. The Science Stream needs to be offered in more government schools. Students from Under-Served Areas Will Likely Miss Out on Jobs/Entrepreneurship Opportunities if they have less access to stem education. This is likely to have an internetal effect as well, as with fewer Science Graduates, The Teacher Shortage will continue. Inclusive India needs to address this key gap identified.
Anuradha de And Amarjeet Sinha are part of the prose team. The views expressed are personal
