The ORF has come up with a report on the status of science education in Indian colleges.
For once, someone has seen the things that stare at one in the face.
Usually the narrative on science education has the students at IISER and IISc and IITs as reference and it is furthered by people to whom "student" means person studying in one of these. So everyone says undergrads must be exposed to research. To me this is the academic equivalent of Marie Antoinette's alleged "let them eat cakes" statement.
There are about 3 million undergrads in science streams of which the IISERs, IITs, IISc, central universities, and a very few good colleges have, let us say, 100000 students as a rough estimate. The rest go to state university affiliated colleges or the private deemed universities. So let us talk not about the less than 1 or 2% and talk instead of the 99% of undergrads in BSc classes across India.
These 99% need to learn the basic concepts of the subjects they study before one can even think of introducing them to research.
So I appeal to those who have some control over undergrad education in India, please design curricula and pedagogy keeping this in mind. Do not force college teachers to undertake spurious research projects published in spurious journals which is just chemicals down the drain (literally, since no one does safe disposal).
For once, someone has seen the things that stare at one in the face.
Usually the narrative on science education has the students at IISER and IISc and IITs as reference and it is furthered by people to whom "student" means person studying in one of these. So everyone says undergrads must be exposed to research. To me this is the academic equivalent of Marie Antoinette's alleged "let them eat cakes" statement.
There are about 3 million undergrads in science streams of which the IISERs, IITs, IISc, central universities, and a very few good colleges have, let us say, 100000 students as a rough estimate. The rest go to state university affiliated colleges or the private deemed universities. So let us talk not about the less than 1 or 2% and talk instead of the 99% of undergrads in BSc classes across India.
These 99% need to learn the basic concepts of the subjects they study before one can even think of introducing them to research.
So I appeal to those who have some control over undergrad education in India, please design curricula and pedagogy keeping this in mind. Do not force college teachers to undertake spurious research projects published in spurious journals which is just chemicals down the drain (literally, since no one does safe disposal).
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