Computing is a human right for students and India must ensure internet connectivity in every part of the country, train students in logical thinking and put teachers through a higher level of computer education, said Dr Archana Sharma, principal scientist at the physics department of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva.
She was speaking to the 400 finalists of the first edition of Hindustan Times Code-A-Thon, India’s biggest coding Olympiad. The event provided a virtual platform for students from grade VI through IX to learn coding languages such as HTML, CSS and Python.
“Computing is a human right that will be needed for all students of the future. Again, the disparities will increase if there are computer literate and non-computer literate students who are coming up in careers. So, we have to make sure that they are not left behind. First of all, the infrastructure has to be improved; the fibre optics has to get there (to the villages). And, this is not easy. We just about have power everywhere,” she said.
There are many organisations in the country working towards ensuring connectivity. She suggested that they need to all work together in tandem with the local governments to reach the goal.
{{/usCountry}}There are many organisations in the country working towards ensuring connectivity. She suggested that they need to all work together in tandem with the local governments to reach the goal.
{{/usCountry}}“It is extremely important to inculcate the scientific temperament in our children, it is our duty to do that. We have made big strides in the schools in terms of introducing computing and computer resources in schools. But there is a big disparity. Teachers themselves need the pedagogic tools for teaching high-level computing to students in schools. But, teachers are not ready yet,” she said.
There are schools where the standards meet international levels and there are schools that struggle to stay connected, she said.
Sharma was one of the first Indian scientists to work at the European organisation that looks for answers to the big questions like “where did we come from? How did the universe begin? What is matter? What is anti-matter? And, why at all are we here? Matter and anti-matter must have been created in equal proportions and if yes, then it should have been annihilated and we should not have been here,” she said.
It was the large hadron collider at CERN that found evidence of the Higgs Boson, also known as the God Particle, in 2012. Sharma was a part of the team.
Sharma explained that while looking for answers to the big questions, the scientists were able to create spin-off technologies that are now in use throughout the world in areas like medical diagnostics and therapy, computing, simulations, and much more.
An education in computing will allow students to take up varied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, including participating in mega-science experiments like the ones ongoing at CERN. These includes projects like the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) that use gravitational waves to study astronomical phenomenon that will have one observatory in India, one of the largest radio-telescope called the 30 meter telescope that will also have an observatory in India, among others.
“There is a huge room for us to use these international programmes where India is already participating as training grounds for young scientists to catapult them into the frontline,” said Sharma. However, Sharma said that it was tenacity that was most needed for become a successful scientist.
“The perception of job security in India is very important, which is changing very slowly. A permanent job now is not the end-all of everything, we need to look for career opportunities and not just a job. You need to build tenacity in yourself and it doesn’t come overnight. When you are young, you are rearing to go and show results. We must realise that every single day is a challenge and you have problems in front of you. And, if you can focus on delivering your best to what you are doing today, you will gently build up,” she said.
The other important point she raised was on how to wake up the sleeping potential of 50% of the population – how to get more women in STEM fields.
“In India, it’s not simple. The society must remember that a girl and a boy represent an equal opportunity. We do not see women as able to do something better; people have a stereotype, they do not associate women with excellence. We need to create role models. As for the women, they should take charge and acknowledge that yes I can also do this,” said Sharma.