Dissection mania
The recent decision of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to ban animal dissection has boosted the morale of animal lovers on one hand, and on the other has created a flutter in the science fraternity. After several hearings, and a favourable resolution from the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), the Delhi high court (joint bench of justice Y K Sabharwal and justice D K Jain) on May 19, 1997 had given the judgement to make animal dissection optional to senior secondary students. The cbse made dissection optional in 1998, but some schools slipped back to the old norm of animal dissection. But as per a circular issued by G Balasubramaniam, director (academic), CBSE, on April 12, 2001, the board has decided to stop all dissection of animals with immediate effect.
Although, the concept of animal dissection was imported from the West, countries like Argentina, the uk, the us among others have banned animal dissection in the recent past. And, alternative methods like computer programmes, videocassettes, models, films, slides, three dimensional charts and diagrams are used as an effective means to teach physiology and anatomy without harming animals.
Medical students, however, term it as unfortunate that the dissection of animals has been categorised as slaughtering of animals. Tomorrow, if government bans eating of fish, chicken, or even vegetables on the pretext that they are living things, what will happen, they ask.
Recently, the Tripura government has also asked the Tripura Board of Secondary Education to omit animal dissections from Class XI and XII curriculum with effect from this academic calendar.
The ban on animal dissection in schools is unlikely to have any immediate effect on the students or the teachers, but its impact has a long way to go in the professional and psychological development of a student. Some concerned experts share their view on the subject.
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