Science has craze yet no gaze |
The Indian National Young Academy of Sciences (INYAS) is working on a white paper to understand the reasons of a decreasing popularity of Basic Sciences among school children across the country.
In recent years, India has witnessed a noticeable decline in student enrollment in mathematics and science disciplines. Speaking in a local context for instance, 19 different degree colleges of Kashmir division have withdrawn Mathematics and Physics from the list of major courses offered by them in past three to four years owing to consistently poor enrolment in such subjects. Otherwise regarded as the backbone of national progress and innovation, especially in current times, these fields are increasingly viewed by students as intellectually stimulating and quite demanding and yet insufficiently rewarding. Mathematics and science education requires sustained intellectual effort, long years of specialization, and continuous skill upgradation. Students pursuing engineering, pure sciences, or advanced mathematics often face intense academic pressure, high competition, and yet there are uncertain career outcomes. A student may spend a decade or more mastering complex scientific concepts, only to enter a job market that offers modest salaries, limited authority, and minimal public recognition which is highly demotivating for them. In contrast, careers accessed through comparatively simpler academic routes, such as a general Bachelor of Arts degree followed by success in civil service examinations offers immediate access to power, immense prestige, authority, and social recognition. The promise of official protocol, decision-making authority, job security, and societal reverence makes civil........