06/07/11

Scientific awareness rising in India

Scientific awareness is rising in India Copyright: FirstGov.gov

By: Archita Bhatta

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<div class="article-wrap">
<div id="article-introduction">
<h1>Scientific awareness rising in India</h1>
<h4>By: Archita Bhatta</h4>
</div>
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<div id="article-body">
<p><span>[NEW DELHI] Scientific awareness in India has increased in the  last decade, showing a trend similar to that of China, according to a  new study. </span></p>
<p><span>Based on surveys involving over 30,000 people every six years,  from 1989 to 2007, the study’s findings were presented at a national  workshop on scientific temper last month (15-17 June) at Palampur,  Himachal Pradesh state, northern India. </span></p>
<p><span>The surveys covered states in north and central India from  those with low literacy levels to large religious gatherings, and  compared the results with surveys carried out in China. </span></p>
<div>Gauhar Raza, a scientist at the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources, New Delhi, told <em>SciDev.Net</em> that western models of assessing scientific awareness relied on people’s knowledge of a science theory, law or fact.</div>
<p><span>According to Raza, this model cannot be applied to developing  countries with communities or tribes living in remote villages and  hills, or those not served by formal education or mass awareness  campaigns.</span></p>
<p><span>A team at the Delhi-based National Institute of Science,  Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), where Raza worked until  2010, had since 1989 been developing another model of assessing public  understanding of science, based on ‘cultural distance’, which takes into  account a person’s social, economic, educational and cultural  background.</span></p>
<p><span>For example, a person’s knowledge of biodiversity or the  environment may not be linked to formal education, but local,  traditional knowledge.</span></p>
<p><span>Similarly, a community may not be aware of complex mathematical  formula, but still be aware of the complex HIV epidemic, because the  latter impacts their lives directly.  </span></p>
<p><span>The authors attributed the increase in scientific awareness in  India largely to the growth of people’s science movements in the  country. </span></p>
<p><span>To measure scientific awareness levels, the Indian team  prepared five questions that assessed concepts such as the earth’s  shape, rotation, revolution, formation of galaxies and human evolution. </span></p>
<p><span>The study found significant regional disparity in awareness  levels within India which, Raza said, should be factored into designing  national campaigns to improve scientific awareness.</span></p>
<p><span>The fact that some states with low literacy rates,scored high  on public understanding of science shows that literacy and education are  not the only influencing factors, Raza said.</span></p>
<p><span>“It indicates that in these places awareness about certain  scientific facts has become part of the cultural background and is  nurtured irrespective of the level of education,” Raza explained. </span></p>

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[NEW DELHI] Scientific awareness in India has increased in the last decade, showing a trend similar to that of China, according to a new study.

Based on surveys involving over 30,000 people every six years, from 1989 to 2007, the study’s findings were presented at a national workshop on scientific temper last month (15-17 June) at Palampur, Himachal Pradesh state, northern India.

The surveys covered states in north and central India from those with low literacy levels to large religious gatherings, and compared the results with surveys carried out in China.

Gauhar Raza, a scientist at the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources, New Delhi, told SciDev.Net that western models of assessing scientific awareness relied on people’s knowledge of a science theory, law or fact.

According to Raza, this model cannot be applied to developing countries with communities or tribes living in remote villages and hills, or those not served by formal education or mass awareness campaigns.

A team at the Delhi-based National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), where Raza worked until 2010, had since 1989 been developing another model of assessing public understanding of science, based on ‘cultural distance’, which takes into account a person’s social, economic, educational and cultural background.

For example, a person’s knowledge of biodiversity or the environment may not be linked to formal education, but local, traditional knowledge.

Similarly, a community may not be aware of complex mathematical formula, but still be aware of the complex HIV epidemic, because the latter impacts their lives directly.

The authors attributed the increase in scientific awareness in India largely to the growth of people’s science movements in the country.

To measure scientific awareness levels, the Indian team prepared five questions that assessed concepts such as the earth’s shape, rotation, revolution, formation of galaxies and human evolution.

The study found significant regional disparity in awareness levels within India which, Raza said, should be factored into designing national campaigns to improve scientific awareness.

The fact that some states with low literacy rates,scored high on public understanding of science shows that literacy and education are not the only influencing factors, Raza said.

“It indicates that in these places awareness about certain scientific facts has become part of the cultural background and is nurtured irrespective of the level of education,” Raza explained.