“There is a lot of scope for these subjects in future. However, to begin with, the quality of teaching should be improved,” R. Srinivasan, Emeritus Professor, Mysore University, tells Amutha Kannan.

Mr. Srinivasan was at Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, to conduct a two-week refresher course for faculty and students of physics stream called “Refresher Course in Experimental Physics”. The course was jointly organised by Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, and National Academy of Science, Allahabad.

The course has so far been held in 10 universities and colleges in various parts of India to teach novel experiments. Mr. Srinivasan says that this is to revolutionise science education at the undergraduate and post-graduate level.

He is involved in conducting these courses for the love of the subject.

Apart from teaching M. Sc. (Integrated Physics) at Mysore University, he travels across the country in his effort to revive his favourite subject.

In his spare time he develops low cost experiments at home.

According to him, most of the existing physics experiments are too time-consuming, expensive and involve the use of heavy instruments and apparatus. “Some are 50 to 100 years old and do not even work. To make the subject more attractive, new experiments have to be introduced. Through this course, we teach the participants 14 easy experiments by using a single kit.

The participants will go to their respective institutions and teach the same to their counterparts,” Mr. Srinivasan says.

Most of the experiments being taught in the course were those prescribed by the University Grants Commission, but are not being conducted in colleges.

Mr. Srinivasan’s kit consists of two constant current sources, two signal generators, two differential amplifiers, one capacitor circuit, one regulated power supply for furnace, one temperature controller, one lock-in amplifier, one power amplifier and a furnace.The set of experiments can be included in the B. Sc. and M. Sc. courses.

“Digital circuits are very expensive. We have tried to bring out the same principle in analog circuits. Earlier, we were 40 to 50 years behind. These experiments will take us forward by at least 30 years,” Mr. Srinivasan concludes.

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