Creating Interest in Students Towards Basic Science

Science and technology are the two wheels of a progressive society. While the research in basic science brings the growth of technology, the developments in technology add input to the diverse fields of science. Basic science is the source of technology. But it is a sorry state of affair that at present the interest in basic science courses such as physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology is dwindling the students. If the trend continues, it will hamper the growth of the nation in all spheres, including the technological front too. The paper tries to highlight the different reasons for this trend and the future implications. Recently the United Nations announced that the year 2005 will be celebrated as the 'International Year of Physics' to remember the great discoveries made by Albert Einstein in the year 1905. It was hundred years ago, in 1905, that he published three historic papers in Annalender Physik which brought out a revolution and a new dimension to Physics in particular and Science in general. Also the year 2005 will be celebrated as the golden year of the discovery od DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1955. Such celebrations should be a mass movement. The struggle and joy of the great discoveries by great minds should reach to the young minds. This will kindle the interest in them towards Basic Science courses. In the long run the nation will be benefited. It is now the time for responsible men-teachers,parents,educationists,technocrats,media persons and the people in the helm of affairs to discuss the situation prevailing in the field of higher education of basic Science and look for the meaningful solution. The paper also elaborates the in-depth programme conducted by Vivekananda College, Puttur, for the past fifteen years, creating interest among the students of rural schools of the region towards Science.