The School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad hosted the inaugural lecture of the Second Series of its Golden Jubilee Distinguished Lecture Series July 26, 2024. Vimala Ramachandran, an eminent educationist, was the speaker on the topic “STEM Education in India: Region, Society, and Gender.” The event began with a welcome address by Prof. Madhusudan J.V., Head of the Department of Education & Education Technology. Prof. Jyotirmaya Sharma, Dean, Social Sciences, introduced the speaker, highlighting her deep expertise in school education, particularly on issues of gender, region, and society. Prof. M. Ghanashyam Krishna, Director, Institution of Eminence, UoH, delivered the inaugural address, appreciating the Dean of the School of Social Sciences for organizing such a significant event impacting the university community. The lecture was attended by faculty, students, research scholars from the university, and invited guests from other institutions.
Vimala Ramachandran commenced her lecture with an overview of her theoretical and survey work in STEM education, providing a broad definition that includes fields such as data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, botany, and life sciences. She emphasized that STEM education fosters problem-solving, critical thinking, and the use of both qualitative and quantitative evidence to support arguments. She also stressed the importance of a STEM mind-set, which involves a methodical approach to problem-solving and the use of evidence.
She presented data on the development and implementation of STEM education across different regions of India, highlighting significant disparities based on gender, rural-urban divides, and social groups. She noted that the net enrolment ratio for rural males is 40%, and for rural females, it is 39%, whereas urban males and females have enrolment ratios above 55%, indicating that geographical location significantly affects access to education. Social group differences were emphasized as being more pronounced than gender differences, with high-caste females receiving more opportunities compared to Dalit or tribal students. She pointed out that Scheduled Tribe girls are the most disadvantaged in completing higher secondary education.
Vimala Ramachandran highlighted regional disparities, mentioning that Manipur has the highest enrolment in STEM subjects, followed by Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, where there are no minimum marks barriers for choosing science subjects. In contrast, states like Delhi and Telangana require students to have over 70% marks in science subjects to pursue STEM education. Karnataka in the southern region has the lowest enrolment in STEM subjects, at 20%, due to the transition from regional languages to English.
She identified three main barriers to STEM education. Firstly, the mind-set of the education system limits opportunities for STEM learning. Secondly, the lack of qualified teachers, revealing that many upgraded secondary schools lack qualified teachers, forcing elementary teachers to take secondary classes. Thirdly, the Right to Education Act of 2009, which mandates no assessment until class eight, negatively impacts the quality of education. Discussing the low work participation ratio of women in India, Vimala Ramachandran attributed it to a lack of childcare facilities and support systems in workplaces. She cited a study showing that many women stop working after the birth of their first child due to these challenges.
To improve STEM education, she suggested several solutions, including strengthening STEM education from the elementary level by providing quality education, implementing policies to support women’s continued employment through childcare facilities and robust support systems, and addressing environmental, parental, gender, and mind-set barriers to create a conducive environment for STEM education. She also highlighted the issue of shadow education, pointing out that coaching centres create disparities. She cited West Bengal as an example, noting it has the highest rate of enrolment in such centres. She noted that several states suffer from dysfunctional educational systems and a lack of qualified subject teachers, leading to low formal education enrolment. Despite these challenges, national surveys show no significant gender differences in mathematics performance, debunking the myth that boys perform better than girls in STEM subjects.
Overall, Vimala Ramachandran emphasized that the key to improving STEM education in India lies in addressing regional disparities, social group differences, and systemic barriers. She advocated for a comprehensive approach that includes quality education and a STEM mind-set to ensure equitable access and opportunities for all students.
The lecture concluded with a Q & A session, where the audience actively engaged with the speaker on various aspects of STEM education. Dr. Ravula Krishnaiah, Assistant Professor, proposed the Vote of Thanks.
Report by: Ms. Runu Mani Das & Ms. Rajeswari Pradhan, Research Scholars, Department of Education and Education Technology, School of Social Sciences.