Pune: The Covid-19 pandemic has renewed interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) among Indians, who have also become more environmentally conscious, according to 3M’s State of Science Index 2021.
The index is based on the findings of a third-party, independent global study, commissioned by the US conglomerate and conducted annually for the past four years to track attitudes towards science. The 2021 findings emphasise there had been a significant improvement in the public image of science.
The survey also highlighted the need for greater gender diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, with about 85% of Indian respondents supporting it. As much as 83% acknowledged that under-represented minority groups often do not receive equal access to STEM education.
Further, 90% of respondents said they trust science—a significant increase of 3 percentage points since the 2020 pre-pandemic survey. About 85% said that there were negative consequences to society if science was not valued, while 87% Indian respondents said they would stand up to sceptics by defending science if someone questioned it—as against 75% globally.
“Events of the past year have put a spotlight on the education gap within underserved communities," said Jayshree Seth, corporate scientist and chief science advocate at 3M. “Gender inequalities, and unequal access to a quality STEM education for under-resourced students, continue to affect economic outcomes across the globe.”
India has become more environmentally conscious—even more than many of the other countries surveyed. A significant majority (87%) said solutions to mitigate climate change needed to happen immediately, and 89% felt that the world should follow science to help create a more sustainable future.
“At 3M, the success of our business is inextricably linked with the health of our planet. The pandemic has also brought greater attention to sustainability issues, with a focus on making more sustainable lifestyle choices. There is a lot one can do in our daily lives to bend the curve of environmental degradation. It is time we all realise the impact our action can make to change our environment,” said Ramesh Ramadurai, managing director, 3M India.
The index is based on the findings of a third-party, independent global study, commissioned by the US conglomerate and conducted annually for the past four years to track attitudes towards science. The 2021 findings emphasise there had been a significant improvement in the public image of science.
In India, 91% of the respondents agreed that the world would need more people pursuing STEM-related careers. Due to the pandemic, more than four out of five (83%) respondents were more inspired to pursue a STEM career as against 60% globally.
The survey also highlighted the need for greater gender diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, with about 85% of Indian respondents supporting it. As much as 83% acknowledged that under-represented minority groups often do not receive equal access to STEM education.
Further, 90% of respondents said they trust science—a significant increase of 3 percentage points since the 2020 pre-pandemic survey. About 85% said that there were negative consequences to society if science was not valued, while 87% Indian respondents said they would stand up to sceptics by defending science if someone questioned it—as against 75% globally.
“Events of the past year have put a spotlight on the education gap within underserved communities," said Jayshree Seth, corporate scientist and chief science advocate at 3M. “Gender inequalities, and unequal access to a quality STEM education for under-resourced students, continue to affect economic outcomes across the globe.”
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India has become more environmentally conscious—even more than many of the other countries surveyed. A significant majority (87%) said solutions to mitigate climate change needed to happen immediately, and 89% felt that the world should follow science to help create a more sustainable future.
“At 3M, the success of our business is inextricably linked with the health of our planet. The pandemic has also brought greater attention to sustainability issues, with a focus on making more sustainable lifestyle choices. There is a lot one can do in our daily lives to bend the curve of environmental degradation. It is time we all realise the impact our action can make to change our environment,” said Ramesh Ramadurai, managing director, 3M India.
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