Higher Secondary Science Education Needs Urgent Transformation in India

BIJU DHARMAPALAN

India’s higher secondary science education is at a crossroads. When higher secondary education was part of college education, the quality was a little better as teachers who dealt with B.Sc. and M.Sc. used to take sessions for the pre-degree /pre-university courses. In the college setting up the facilities for practical’s was also better as they had better infrastructure.   For years, the higher secondary or pre-university education has been dominated by an unhealthy fixation on entrance examinations like NEET and JEE, which serve as gateways to coveted careers in medicine and engineering. While these exams undeniably play a crucial role, their overemphasis has created a myopic education system prioritising rote learning and coaching over comprehensive understanding and critical thinking. The students are not aware of the other opportunities in higher education as teachers and vested interest groups keep this information away from the student community. The situation in many schools is so pathetic that there is hardly any focus on practical sessions. It is time to recalibrate the focus and ensure that science education nurtures curiosity and creativity while equipping students with skills relevant to the 21st century.