Study finds majority of Indians accept evolution
A study done by group of evolutionary biologists from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda revealed that the acceptance of Darwin’s theory of evolution is very high among Indians. The study found 68.5% of Indians accepted that human beings developed from earlier species of animals, as propounded by Charles Darwin in his theory of evolution. While the figure is marginally less than Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, France, and Japan (over 78% in all these countries), the figure is significantly higher than that in many other countries including the United States and Turkey (less than 40%).
According to this study published in the latest issue of Journal of Scientific Temper, public acceptance of evolution was found to be highest in Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala (all above 78%) while the least was found to be in Haryana (41.3%). Males were marginally more likely to accept the evolution compared with females (72% vs. 69%), and non-religious people compared with religious people (74% vs. 67%). Surprisingly people who identified as ‘rightists’ accepted the evolution more than those who identified themselves as ‘leftists’ (66% vs. 61%) in political spectra. The study also identified teachers and students (over 73%) as most likely to accept evolution while employed adults (59%) least. The questionnaire survey included responses from 1706 persons from 12 states.
The survey also included another question on the respondent’s belief about whether the age of earth is older than 10,000 years or younger than that. The study revealed a very high public acceptance of old earth (90%). In response to this question as well the rightists (83.6%) eclipsed the leftists (76.8%).
At the international level, the trend is quite clear that religiosity is inversely proportional to public acceptance of evolution. Countries where religious belief is high (Turkey, US etc.) tend to be least likely to accept the evolution, and vice versa. However, the case is very different in India. According to 2011 census, 99.8% of Indians associated with religion, while merely 0.2% were irreligious. Lead author of the study Dr. Felix Bast conjectured possible reason for high public acceptance of evolution in India despite the fact of high religiosity is that Hinduism does not conflict Darwin’s theory of evolution to a large extent. According to 2011 census, Hindus encompass 80.3% of Indian population. Many concepts of Vedas and Hinduism support the scientific consensus of geology, climate science and evolution to a large extent. For example, according to Rigveda, the age of earth is 1.97 billion years, which is very old compared with that of creation myth propounded by Abrahamic religions (according to creationism-also called Intelligent Design, the age of earth is around 6000 years). Current scientific consensus of the age of earth is 4.543 billion years. A number of evolutionary biologists in the past as well were baffled about the surprising similarity between evolutionary theory and Hinduism. British evolutionary biologist JBS Haldane, for instance, suggested that Hindu concept of dashavatara- the ten incarnations of lord Vishnu- is a rough idea of vertebrate evolution (fish-the vertebrate to tortoise-reptile to boar-mammal to man). Vedic concepts of pralaya and mahapralaya too surprisingly capture the cyclic nature of global climate (glacial-interglacial cycles).
Vehemently opposing Darwinism had traditionally been a tactic in conservative parties around the world, especially by the republic party in the US. Barring a few incidences lately including anti-evolution comments by HRD Minister Dr. Satyapal Singh, opposition to Darwinism had never been employed as a tactic in India by any party for the political gains. Pseudoscience concepts such as creationism is never taught in schools in India while the case is very different in conservative states of United States where creationism is taught in parallel to evolution. Surveys in the US too (for example, one in 2007) indicated that among American population Buddhists and Hindus (more than 80%) are far more likely to accept evolution than other religious groups, in line with Dr. Felix’s argument.
“Message of this finding is clear; theory of evolution is as much Indian as British. Rather than treating Darwinism as Western, we should continue to embrace it as similar concepts already exists in Hinduism.” Said Dr. Felix. He added that he is fascinated with the works of former BJP MP Pradeep Rawat to popularize theory of evolution; Mr. Rawat has opened up a first class public library in Pune housing thousands of world-class books on evolution.
Dr. Felix Bast had been working for the popularization of science and scientific temperament among Indian population for the last many years through his science writings in magazines and outreach talks in libraries, schools and colleges throughout the country. He has also founded a charity foundation for this purpose and the foundation frequently donate popular science books in regional languages to the public schools and libraries. Coincidentally, the date on which this article got published (20th August) is observed as National Scientific Temper Day in India to mark the death anniversary of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. It was also on the same day in 1858 that British scientists Darwin and Wallace issued first printed exposition of the theory of evolution.
News related to this report appeared in The Hindu and The Indian Express on 29th August 2018
