Gaps In Access To Science At Schools – The Times of India

New Delhi: Over the past decade, senior secondary education in Delhi witnessed a notable shift, particularly in the growing preference for science subjects. A comparison between the academic years 2014-15 and 2024-25 reveals a strong and consistent upward trend in both the number of Delhi govt schools offering the science stream and the student enrolment in it. However, still only about half of the govt schools in the city offer the stream, highlighting a persistent gap in access to science education.
In 2014-15, only 272 Delhi govt schools offered the science stream in classes XI and XII. By 2024-25, that number rose sharply to 455. The student enrolment figures further illustrate this trend. In 2014-15, 9,332 students opted for science in Class XI, which more than doubled to 24,991 by 2024-25. Similarly, the Class XII enrolments grew from 7,994 to 22,265 over the same period.
Aam Aadmi Party said, “During our govt’s tenure, the number of students studying science in Delhi govt schools tripled. This is a major achievement.”
However, the reality remains that half of around 900 senior secondary govt schools still do not provide science as a stream, according to the available data. “This imbalance highlights a gap: though students’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields is rising sharply, the availability of science education across govt schools remains limited, potentially restricting access for many aspiring students,” noted a teacher.
She added, “When a nearby school doesn’t offer science, parents are unlikely to send their child to a distant school just to pursue science. As a result, students often settle for whatever stream is available locally, which is not ideal for their educational growth.”
Several experts argue that the progress in numbers does not reflect the reality on the ground. According to Ashok Agarwal, a senior education activist and lawyer, the issue goes beyond just the numbers. “All govt senior secondary schools in Delhi must have the science stream. But many, like SKV and SBV Zeenat Mahal in Kamla Market, don’t,” he said.
Even in many schools where science is offered, he said, basic infrastructure, even laboratories, is sorely lacking. “Where labs exist, they’re overcrowded and often repurposed as regular classrooms due to lack of space. In places like Jafrabad and New Jafrabad, students are using labs for sitting, not for learning science. I’ve documented this in a report submitted to the education secretary,” Agarwal said. “There’s a lot of talk about promoting scientific temper, but without proper facilities, science education becomes symbolic rather than substantive,” he added.
The rate of student enrolment in the stream has risen even faster. Educators interpret this as part of a larger socio-economic shift, where science and technology are seen as promising avenues for stable and lucrative careers.
Teachers also highlight a change in student engagement and learning practices. “There’s greater participation in science exhibitions, innovation projects and even student-led startups. This indicates a move towards experiential learning, where students are encouraged to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges,” said a teacher of a govt school in south Delhi.