Mass Communication Education in India: A Status Report 46 "Pragyaan: Journal <strong>of</strong> Mass Communication" Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2012
Scientific Temper, Science Communication and Development ABSTRACT Late Jawahar Lal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister maintained that modern life is an <strong>of</strong>fspring <strong>of</strong> science and technology. Nehru had the vision to recognize the importance <strong>of</strong> science and technology in the social and economic development <strong>of</strong> a Nation much before our country gained independence. Since independence, Science and Technology developments in India has come a long way but the fact remains that a sizeable section <strong>of</strong> India’s population is still deprived <strong>of</strong> the benefits <strong>of</strong> Science & Technology. Therefore, need <strong>of</strong> the hour is to communicate science to the people as science communication can play an important role in the speedy development <strong>of</strong> the Nation by inculcating scientific temper among the masses. Key words: Scientific Temper, Science Communication, Science, Technology, Development, Masses Introduction Media, all over the world play a significant role in covering the controversial issues such as climate change, cloning, Genetic Modified food or nuclear energy. India too has had its share <strong>of</strong> public scientific controversies in Bt brinjal, 123 Nuclear Agreement with USA and recent Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. These public scientific controversies have also highlighted the tension that exists between scientific experts and the general public. Masses are <strong>of</strong>ten blamed for not having enough understanding about scientific matters and thus taking an erroneous stand on such issues. Media too strategically frame the news according to their editorial policies. Overall what one witnesses today is a growing mistrust between scientists and the public as well as between scientists and the media. Though, researches suggest a growing interest in science, the fact remains that majority <strong>of</strong> the people feel left out <strong>of</strong> the business <strong>of</strong> science both in terms <strong>of</strong> understanding and also their agreement on the way science is being practiced today. The Constitution <strong>of</strong> India through Article 51 A (h) under Fundamental Duties prescribes that, “It shall be the duty <strong>of</strong> every citizen <strong>of</strong> India to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit <strong>of</strong> inquiry and reform”. The term scientific temper is the creation <strong>of</strong> Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, India’s first prime minister. In fact Nehru had the vision to recognize the importance <strong>of</strong> science and technology in the social and economic development <strong>of</strong> a nation much before our country gained independence. It would not be wrong to assume that a society without scientific temper would be at a loss when it comes to deciding the scientific and technological priorities. In order to effectively participate in decision making, the general public need to understand science and its implications as well as the impact <strong>of</strong> new technologies on society and environment. It is only through communicating science that we can aim at making the general public scientifically literate. The Present Scenario * Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Dept. <strong>of</strong> Mass Communication, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh Afrina Rizvi* Unfortunately, in most societies, science and technology are seen as specialized areas <strong>of</strong> study meant only for a few gifted individuals. This inevitably leads to public ignorance <strong>of</strong> the complexities <strong>of</strong> scientific developments and even indifference to its implications. Surveys in the Western world too present a dismal picture <strong>of</strong> the scientific literacy <strong>of</strong> the masses. Of course there are people who accept the ideas <strong>of</strong> science. But this acceptance has less to do with conviction than with the human urge to comply with a dominant ‘truth’. Little help is gained by the fact that the style <strong>of</strong> science teaching at schools and the feeling <strong>of</strong> alienation are inextricably linked. Most education in science avoids personalities and gives less emphasis to the process <strong>of</strong> science. "Pragyaan: Journal <strong>of</strong> Mass Communication" Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2012 47
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