Question : SCIENCE EDUCATION

(a) details of the progress made under centrally sponsored scheme `Improvement of Science Education in Schools` in the country.State-wise;

(b) the details of the proposals received from various States and cleared by the Union Government during 2004-05,2005-06 and 2006-07,State-wise;

(c) whether the Government lias any mechanism to check the improvement in science education in States getting assistance from the Government;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) the States still found lagging behind the desired level of improvement in science education; and

(f) the steps taken for improvement of Science Education in such States?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI M.A.A. FATMI)

(a); The erstwhile scheme of `Improvement of Science Education in Schools`, which was one of the component of a composite scheme `Quality Improvement in Schools`, has been transferred to the State Sector w.e.f. 1.4.2006. Details of progress under this component of the scheme during the period from 2002-03 to 2004-05 are Annexed.

(b): Proposals were received from State Governments of Karnataka, Kerala and Meghalaya during 2004-05.Proposal from Government of Sikkim was received during 2005-06. No proposal was received in 2006-07.

(c)&(d): In 1995, NCERT conducted an evaluation study to assess the impact of this scheme on the development of a scientific climate in schools and improvemert of quality of teaching and learning in science and mathematics. The report showed that the Scheme was extremely useful and had enormous potential to generate a scientific cliriate in the schools.

(e)&(f): No State-wise target was fixed under the scheme, and hence data about lagging States are not maintained in the Ministry.During the Xth Plan the scheme was made part of the composite scheme of `Quality Improvement in Schools`, with enhanced outlay.