In a democracy, if penetration of education is not uniform across every strata of the society then this is liable to create unhealthy developments. There may emerge a class of people with a collective interest, who are influential enough to sway the national priorities not entirely to the sensitivities of the disadvantaged ones. We need to have original ideas to evaluate ourselves and indigenous strategies for improvement if the situation demands. Western perspectives of assessing our needs need to be discontinued for a similar effect may not have same set of causes in the two societies.

The author’s assessment of lack of interest in science among the school students in this book holds substance but it needs indigenous approach to probe further in to the causes. In India the main issue is of enrolment at a school, which is still significantly low in rural areas. In schools devoid of basic infrastructure, western measures hold no ground. Further, improved job opportunities in various other fields have reflected in lower student option for sciences. The fact that the English, a foreign language is mostly the medium of science education at higher level has totally been discounted as an important curse. The author’s points of concerns may hold good in a developed society but surely not for India. The author seems to accept this quietly when he overstates his contacts with science educators around the world.

The title of the book appears to be a bit misleading. The contents of the book deal more of ‘popularising science curriculum in schools’. Barring the reasons enumerated for decline of popularity of science, reading of the book suggests that the author has great expertise on methodologies in teaching of science and improving of science curriculum. The author have taken great pains in compiling innovative teaching activities, which add fun to the learning of science.

The author draws resemblance between rural pupils in India and American Indigenous Indians and cites (amongst them) lack of interest as a major factor for failing in the subject. Citing such examples, which in fact are many in the book, speak volumes of the international exposure to the author but it hints at lack of analysis and contemplation, author has carried out for India specific situations.