With an aim to incorporate the latest research developments on the Arctic, Antarctica, and the Himalayas into school textbooks, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has reached out to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
Ministry Secretary M Ravichandran disclosed that the NCERT has formed a committee to include the importance of research in these regions, along with topics like climate change, in the school curriculum.
Antarctica has been a part of NCERT textbooks, but its content hasn't been refreshed in a considerable time. Similarly, there's been limited coverage of ongoing research in the Arctic and the Himalayas. This initiative aims to address these gaps and bring the latest scientific endeavors to students' attention.
The decision to drop topics such as climate change, monsoon, and the greenhouse effect from textbooks during a COVID-19 related curriculum adjustment sparked controversy. However, the NCERT clarified that this was a temporary measure to reduce curriculum load and assured that these subjects would be reintroduced in alignment with the new curriculum framework. The revised textbooks are slated to be available for all classes by 2026.
India's engagement in polar research will be highlighted during the 46th meeting of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and the 26th meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). Scheduled from May 20-30 in Kochi, these meetings will provide a platform for countries involved in southern polar research to share their scientific findings and future plans.
India currently maintains two active research stations, Maitri and Bharti, in Antarctica. The first station, Dakshin Gangotri, established in 1983, had to be abandoned after it sank in the snow. Thamban Meloth, Director of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), noted that while high school students haven't been taken to Antarctica yet, several senior students involved in research have visited the continent. However, logistical challenges and high costs make it impractical to implement programs like Students on Ice, which allow students from around the world to travel to the polar regions accompanied by educators and scientists.