PU pro-VC RK Verma addresses the seminar in Patna on Friday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

The pro-vice-chancellor of Patna University, R.K. Verma, is disturbed by the dip in the percentage of students taking up science subjects in colleges and stressed on developing a scientific temperament among students.

While addressing a seminar on National Science Day at Magadh Mahila College on Friday, Verma said: “Fewer students take up science these days. Students should go for science and then research.”

He stressed for the development of a scientific temperament among students so that their minds are open to the idea of becoming a scientist and challenging the existing theories by evidence.

The guest lecturer at the event was Simanti Datta, an assistant professor at the Centre for Liver Research at Institute of PG Medical Education & Research, Calcutta. While speaking on, “Tracing the dynamics of Hepatitis-B Virus and host immune response in E-negative chronic infection”, Datta said: “More than two billion people are infected with Hepatitis-B Virus across the world.”

The students presented a skit to show the advantages of genetically modified crops and how these can be obtained.

The students stressed that awareness should be created among farmers about the genetically modified crops.

The college principal, Dolly Sinha, explained the importance of National Science Day. “National Science Day is celebrated to honour Nobel laureate C.V. Raman for his invention of the Raman Effect,” she said.