Performance in Science at Secondary/Higher Secondary Level

 

 

Vipan Kumar, Naresh Kumar
and Nitin Gupta

 

School education in India, based on the model set up by the British, was revamped with the objective that all children should have access to it. However, after independence, an economic development model, with an emphasis on science and technology, was followed/introduced. As a result science education received special attention in schools in order to generate science professionals and produce better scientists in the country. This explains the direction which science education in schools took after the Independence. However, a few recent studies show that the priority for science is declining both at the school and university levels whereas enrolment in economics is increasing over the last decade. It is a matter of concern and if the trends continue for a long time consequences may be adverse. Thus there is need for the policies to encourage students to opt science from secondary level.

This section deals with the performance of science students at secondary level of Indian education system. The data shown is from Central Board of secondary education (CBSE). Figure 1 shows the performance of those securing greater than 90% marks, greater than 75% marks and greater than 50% in CBSE examination. Computation indicates that Physics and Chemistry are the most preferred subjects followed by Mathematics and Biology in the science stream at 12th level, however, number of students clearing these streams are more than from streams with Physics and Chemistry. In addition, more students’ score above 90% and 75% score in mathematics and number of students scoring more than 50% marks was more in Chemistry followed by Physics and Mathematics.

 

Fig 1: Performance of Science Students in 12th Standard Examination

Source: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 2007

 

Comparative estimations regarding performance between science and non-science indicate that more students preferred science disciplines compared to non-science disciplines in CBSE board. Figure-2 shows that a larger fraction of science students score more than 90% among overall pass out students. Same trend can be noticed for number of students scoring more than 75% and 50% marks. In all three categories (>=90%, >= 75% and >= 50%) male students dominate over female students. It is interesting to observe that in the case of non-science stream the scenario is reversed where female students dominant over male students in all three categories (>= 90%, >= 75% and >= 50%). It was found that in CBSE board, science students prefer combination of physical education, followed by computer science and painting at 12th standard level. It was estimated that nearly 47% students opted physical education followed by computer science (24%) in the year 2007.  Accountancy is the least preferred subject among science students. Data indicates that more students opt for science subjects than non-science subjects though percentage of passing out students in science subjects is less than for non-science subjects.

 

Fig 2: Performance of Science vs Non-Science candidates in CBSE, 12th Std.

Source: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 2007

 

 

Comparisons between big cities and small towns

Comparative estimates indicate identical performance in all the selected cities as shown in Figure 3 & 4. However, students from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaipur and Kolkata and Bhopal are performing better in mathematics, whereas in physics and chemistry performance is more or less same in all cities. Conversely, students from Agra, Hyderabad, Vizag and small towns are performing better in Biology.

 

Fig 3: Performance of science students in different cities

Source: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 2007

 

 

Fig 4: Performance of students in different subjects

Source: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 2007

 

 

Innovative Practices of Indian Students

Innovative practices here mean different combination of subjects that a student opts at 12th standard. Students enjoy privileges in opting different combination of subjects in CBSE board over other state boards. Due to this flexibility more permutation and combination of subjects are possible in CBSE board. This is also applicable in science stream, which is not permissible in other state boards. Consequently, students prefer physical education, followed by computer science and painting as shown in figure-5. It was estimated that physical education opted about 47%, followed by computer science, which was about 24% in the year 2007. Data indicates that more opt science subjects than non-science subjects though number of passing students in science subjects is lesser than non-science subjects.

 

Science students’ interest in other subjects (Excluding languages)

S. No

Subject

No. of Student

1

Computer Science

41137

2

Economics

940

3

Geography

386

4

Painting

7169

5

Physical Education

76333

6

Commercial Art

1676

7

Multimedia & Web T

766

8

Political Science

10

9

Psychology

177

10

Sociology

180

11

Agriculture

233

12

Fashion Studies

239

13

Accountancy

4

14

Entrepreneurship

277

Source: CBSE, 2007

 

 

Fig 5: Science Students interest in other subjects

Source:: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 2007

 

Figure 6 indicates different combinations of subjects with binary grouping i.e. mathematics-physics, physics-chemistry and chemistry-biology. In all different combinations physical education and English language are the most preferred subjects.

 

Non Science Students with two science subjects: Physics-Mathematics

 

Non Science Students with two science subjects: Physics-Chemistry

 

Non-Science Students with two science subjects: Chemistry-Biology

Fig 6: Different combination of subjects

 

 

State-wise Performance in the basic sciences

This sub-section tries to make a comparison of various Indian states in terms of students' performance in science. However, analysing performance across the states is a difficult task due to the variation in syllabus and evaluation process of different state boards. The fact that millions of students appear at examinations every year adds to the difficulty in the collection of subject wise time series data. Further disadvantages accumulate as a result of result of non-availability of central depository mechanism in India. However, an attempt was made to collect the data on the students who appeared and passed out from different state examination boards. From the data, information was derived for the disciplines like physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology (PCMB), which constitute the main subjects of science stream (PCMB). The figures have been computed from the data provided by respective boards.

The over all performance in PCMB subjects is depicted in Figure 7, for 8 states namely UP, Punjab, Bihar, Manipur, MP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa.

It may be observed from Figure-7 that:


Fig 7: Performance in overall science (PCMB) in some major states of India, 12th Standard

 

Figure 8 illustrates performance in mathematics subjects in UP, Punjab, Bihar, Manipur, MP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa. It is obvious from the figure that approximately 20% students appeared in UP, Bihar, MP and Maharashtra whereas below 20% students opted mathematics in Goa and Punjab. Further, passing out condition is pathetic in all the 8 states except Tamil Nadu where about 20% students got passing marks while in UP the situation is worse.

 

Fig 8: Performance in mathematics in some major states of India, 12th Standard

 

Performance in physics, chemistry and biology is similar to mathematics (Figures 9-11). This is a matter of great concern as it may affect India’s S&T capabilities in future. Therefore, appropriate measures are required to solve the problem.

 

Fig 9: Performance in physics in some major states of India, 12th Standard

 

Fig 10: Performance in chemistry in some major states of India, 12th Standard

 

Fig 11:   Performance in biology in some major states of India, 12th Standard

 

 

 

 

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