IUCAA To Encourage And Promote Astronomy Education In Indian Schools

India will soon become one of the only seven countries to house an Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE), assigned by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

According to a recent announcement, the Pune-based Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and TIFR-Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) will together spearhead activities of this office, which became operational at IUCAA on Wednesday. 

The primary aim of the center will be to make Astronomy a formal subject in schools by developing a proper curriculum, training teachers, organising workshops, and making astronomy resources easily available. 

“We will need to study the manner in which astronomy is taught and how concepts are introduced to school students. Accordingly, we will need to develop ways in which the subject can be incorporated better at the school level,” said Surhud More, scientist, IUCAA.

So far there was no formal astronomy education in schools and colleges in India. Science clubs and Astro clubs used to spearhead astronomy education in educational institutions. With this initiative by IUCAA, Astronomy is expected to become a formal subject soon giving a boom to Indian space research and exploration.

Source: Indian Express

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