To mark the National Scientific Temper Day and remember Dr Narender Dabholkar – a lead scientific temper campaigner who assassinated by religious fanatics – on his death anniversary, a virtual panel discussion was organised by the Bharat Jan Vigyan Samiti and Janvadi Mahila Samiti, Rajasthan, on August 20.
Panellists Lalit Kishore, Rajiv Gupta and Komal Srivastava made their statements in context of education, society and gender vis-a-vis scientific temper, which was followed by discussion by 40-odd participants that included science educators, women activists, NGO representatives and school teachers.
According to panellist Dr Lalit Kishore, currently, the eroding scientific temper, intolerance and lack of reasoning or autocracy have now become matters a serious public concern in India. Even, in the last few Indian National Science Congress Conferences some scientists made pseudo-scientific assertions. Also, many MPs and MLAs have wrongfully dishing out mythology-science link such as lauding astrology as genuine science; projecting theories of evolution based on mythology, batting for mythology to be part of nation’s history, asserting that cow-dung and urine having curative properties against novel corona virus, etc.
He proposed that both teacher education and early education of children in the age-group 3-9 years process- based that includes linguistic, mathematical and scientific literacy. Process-based experiential learning in early formative years can result into children’s questioning and well-tempered reasoning mindset which has been proved by research in pedagogy and neuro-science.
Dr Gupta added that such an initiative should invariably include family, community and other societal organizations in it for scientific temper to have a wider reach both in the families, women groups and the society. He stressed the need for developing literature, learning material and methodologies of disseminating scientific temper effectively in an informed and planned way.
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