National Conference
on
Revamping Science Education
was organized by the UGC through its Western
Regional Office on 5-6th December, 2003 at Fergusson College, Pune. About one hundred teachers, including principals and vice-chancellors from various regions participated in the conference. In his inaugural address Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chairman, University Grants Commission, urged more involvement of young teachers in science
education,
need for
writing good,
indigenous
text books
and replacing
final practical
examination
by continuous
assessment of
all the
experiments.
Prof. S. R.
Gadre, Pune
University, co-ordinated the entire deliberations. Prof. Arvind Kumar, Director, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai; Prof. Avinash Vasant Khare, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar; Prof. Kambadur Muralidhar, Department of Zoology, Delhi University; Prof. Milind Watve, Abasaheb Garware College, Pune; Prof. Ashok S. Kolaskar, Vice Chancellor, Pune University; Prof. R. Balasubramanian, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai; Prof. Narayanan Chandrakumar, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai; and Prof. R. Parimala, Professor of Mathematics, Tata Institute of |
Fundamental Research, Mumbai were among those who lectured during the conference. Prof. Rajaram Nityananda, Director of National Centre for Radioastrophysics, Pune, delivered the valedictory address.
The suggestions emerged from the conference are: talented young manpower be attracted as university faculty; Emeritus Professorship/ Chairs of eminence at colleges for training
young students during their formative years; major funding for
revamping undergraduate science laboratories and libraries; continuous assessment of experiments carried out by the students in place of final practical examination; curricula may stress basics of science subject, de-emphasizing ill-conceived or superficial 'applied' courses; specialized courses including practical skills after the degree course or during vacation; flexibility to take up a few courses on communication skills/ languages/humanities; and running a few model undergraduate teaching programs in collaboration with research institutes/ universities. |
