Journal of Scientific Temper (JST)

Teacher Motivation and Mentoring Dynamics in the National Children's Science Congress (NCSC)

Debasree Lodh, Basundhara, Jayanti Dutta — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

ABSTRACT

The National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) is a flagship initiative launched by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, to promote scientific temperament among students aged 10 to 17. This study aims to explore the motivation, experiences, and challenges of guide teachers who mentor student scientists throughout the NCSC journey. Through a quantitative research methodology comprising interviews, open-ended questionnaires, and digital surveys, this research examines intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, the nature of mentorship relationships, institutional support mechanisms, and best practices. Findings from this study can inform policy enhancements to strengthen teacher engagement and improve mentoring frameworks within the NCSC ecosystem.

Science Education for Social and Ethical Responsibilities: A Systematic Literature Review

KAJAL, Sunita Singh — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

For a sustainable future, scientists and educators are emphasizing the social and ethical values associated with science. In this perspective, science education is seen as "promising" for fostering the values and skills necessary to become well-informed citizens for young minds. The researcher analyzed the favourable aspects of the idea of teaching science with its social and ethical responsibility. A review of science education studies included focusing on social and ethical issues. A total of 26 papers, covering 2003 to 2023, were carefully examined to determine their applicability in the aforementioned context. This paper also attempts to discuss the evolution of research in science education, shifting from a more conceptual understanding to its social and ethical relevance in society. The paper underlines the issues and challenges that lead to identifying the need to discuss science education with real-world problems by situating it in its social, political, and cultural context. The paper argues that a framework needs to be developed which is both contextually and culturally relevant for learners. Additionally, numerous aspects of science education for global social and ethical responsibility were addressed. The final section manages to recommend certain suggestions that can be adopted by teachers at different levels of education.

Advancing Nanoelectronics Innovation in India: Outcomes of the Multi-Institutional NNetRA Research Program

Bipin Joshi, Manoranjan Mohanty, Seena Raju — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Nanoelectronics has emerged as a foundational technology enabling innovations across computing, communication systems, sensing platforms and biomedical diagnostics. Recognizing the strategic importance of this field, the Nanoelectronics Network for Research and Applications (NNetRA) program was launched to strengthen domestic research capabilities and accelerate technology development. Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the program established a collaborative research network among five premier institutions: IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of R&D Governance

Preeti Srivastava, Debashis Bandyopadhyay — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a major enabler of R&D governance and project management. Using a data-intensive approach, it aims to address issues of project choice, risk mitigation, optimal resource allocation etc thereby enhancing efficiency. In the present paper we have attempted to evaluate AI application in R&D governance in the global vis-à-vis national perspectives; and to underline its key strengths, weaknesses and applicability.

Aapda Mitra: Scientific Temper in Action on Kartavya Path

Dinesh Kumar Aswal — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) tableau showcased during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path provided a compelling public demonstration of India’s advancing disaster risk management architecture. Commemorating twenty-five years since the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, the tableau illustrated the entire disaster management continuum—early warning, response, recovery, preparedness, mitigation, and the principle of Build Back Better—while placing trained community volunteers, the Aapda Mitra, at its center. This article interprets the tableau as both a symbolic and substantive manifestation of scientific temper, where technological capability, institutional readiness, and citizen engagement converge. By highlighting collective memory, evidence-based preparedness, and community-led response during the critical initial hours of disasters, the tableau emphasized the pivotal role of trained citizens in translating scientific knowledge into effective action. The Aapda Mitra programme exemplifies scientific temper in practice—calm, informed, cooperative, and service-oriented—demonstrating that disaster resilience relies not only on infrastructure and institutions but also on empowered, scientifically literate communities.

Madhav Gadgil: Science, Society, and the Making of India’s Ecological Conscience

Shivaprasad Khened — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Professor Madhav Dhananjaya Gadgil (1942–2026) was among the most influential ecological thinkers of post‑Independence India, whose work reshaped how nature, society, and development are intertwined and how their understanding shapes the society, the subcontinent. Trained in mathematical ecology at Harvard University and deeply rooted in field‑based natural history, Gadgil forged an integrative vision of ecology that combined scientific rigour with ethical responsibility and social justice. This essay traces the arc of his life and work—from his formative years as a young birdwatcher in Pune, influenced by Salim Ali, to his institution‑building role at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and his extensive research across India’s diverse landscapes, including the Nilgiris and the Western Ghats. Particular attention is given to his landmark writings, notably This Fissured Land and Ecology and Equity (co‑authored with Ramachandra Guha), which established ecology as a historically grounded and socially embedded discipline. The essay also examines Gadgil’s contributions to biodiversity governance, especially the People’s Biodiversity Registers and the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, highlighting his commitment to democratic environmentalism. By situating Gadgil’s scientific work within broader debates on equity, development, and sustainability, the paper argues that his enduring legacy lies in redefining ecology as a moral and civic enterprise—one urgently relevant to contemporary environmental challenges, which India and the world is facing.