Published Paper Details:

India's diverse cultural and epistemological landscape calls for a reimagining of science education to ensure inclusivity and relevance. This paper proposes a framework for culturally relevant science pedagogy (CRSP) that bridges western epistemology with Indian cultural knowledge systems. Based on theories of socio-cultural education and decolonial education, this framework proposes integrating local knowledge and practices into the science curriculum. It emphasizes culturally relevant strategies, culturally sensitive assessments and teacher preparation to promote epistemic equity. This study critically analyses the literature to determine the theoretical underpinnings and fundamental principles of culturally relevant pedagogy. Our analysis explores the theoretical foundations of CRSP based on five theories--constructivism, socio-cultural theory, funds of knowledge, decolonial theory and critical pedagogy and identifies five core principles- Cultural Relevance, Epistemic Inclusivity, Student-centered Learning, Interdisciplinary integration, Collaborative knowledge construction. This paper explores the Indian educational context, identifies gaps in the current science curriculum and outlines strategies for implementation in diverse settings.