India has great tradition in the field of pure and applied science .India has been studying science as subject from ancient times, but most of the knowledge was lost during the medieval period. Science education in India has been greatly accelerated after independence.
Science and science education during the British rule :
- The only aim of education including that of science was to turn out men competent to serve the civilian administration
- There was less facilities for science education and research. Hence, few individual educated in science lacked opportunities for either gainful employment or scientific researches. They could only precure clerical or teaching job.
- It was only in 1857 that the Universities of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras modelled after the London University, were established same foundations for basic science were expanded and academic science in the Universities received an attention.
The growth of the science must be more difficult that even under such adverse conditions, globally competitive scientific research was carried out by a few scientist like C.V Raman, M. N Saha, S.N Bose, D.N Wadia, P.C Mohalanchis, S.R Kashyap, Birbal Sahani, S Chandrashekhar. Many of these were trained in India and carried out their research in Indian universities.
Science and science education in the post independent period.
After independence we realized the importance of science for economic growth and social transformation. In the context of establishing modern science and technology as a live and vital force, science education also get more importance. Indeed, science education plays a crucial role in the field of scientific research and technological innovations.
India's most eminent scientist Raman said; "There is only one solution for India's economic problems and ie., science, more science and still more science".
- In 1953,the secondary education commission recommended the teaching of general science as a compulsory subject in high schools and higher secondary school.
- All India seminar on teaching of science held in 1956 made serious discussion on almost all the aspects concerning the teaching of science in schools.
- Indian parliament has adopted major policy statements relating to higher education and science and technology development. These development have been largely guided by the scientific policy resolution 1958. It envisaged the cultivation of science and scientific research in all its aspects.
- The constitutional amendment of 1976 places education including science and Technology education in the concurrent list which implies the joint responsibility of the central and the state governments.
- The government of India has established Ministry of Human Resource development to function as an administrative ministry.
- By establishing the university grants commission and All India council for Technical Education. The government tried to improve the functioning of higher education in science and Technology respectively.
The University Grand Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory organization set up by the Union Government in 1956,charged with coordination ,determination and maintenance of standards of University education. It provides recognition to Universities in Indian and distribute funds to such recognized Universities and colleges.
UGC's efforts in promoting excellence.
UGC has launched a large number of programs aimed at promoting excellence including:
- Autonomous colleges
- Faculty improvement programs.
- Academic staff colleges
- Centers for advanced studies
- Curriculum development council
- Career development programs
- Support for strengthening infrastructure S & T and removal of adolescence in the Universities.
- Identification of Universities with a potential and supporting them to become comparable with the best anywhere.
