Lok Sabha Question No. 3587 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Attraction of Youth towards Science and Industry
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: BHARAT SINGH, RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK, MANSHANKAR NINAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3587

TO BE ANSWERED ON 7/12/2016

## ATTRACTION OF YOUTH TOWARDS SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

†3587. SHRI BHARAT SINGH:

DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK":

SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó Ùðüëðó be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is working with private or public sector to disseminate science and technology and to create awareness about immense possibilities in this sector;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the action plan of the Government to encourage the talented youth of remote, backward, rural and border areas for taking up Science and Technology related projects?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI.Y. S. CHOWDARY)

òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó (gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)

(a) to (c):  Yes, Madam. Department of Science & Technology (DST) is working with both the public as well as private sector to disseminate science and technology (S&T) and to create awareness about immense possibilities in this sector and to encourage youth to undertake S&T related projects. In this endeavor,  DST has  used  several  mechanisms  and  launched  schemes  and  programmes  across  the entire length and breadth of the country including remote, backward, rural and border areas. Some of the major initiatives undertaken by DST are as follows:

National Children's Science Congress (NCSC): NCSC was launched in 1992 to encourage and engage the school students in the age group 10-17 years in identifying various thematic challenges in their localities/communities and try to find possible science and technology (S&T) solutions. Each year, more than 500,000 such child scientists from schools in public and private domain first participate at the district level competitions held across the country covering almost all the districts. The selected concepts/projects/models are then evaluated at the State level and then the best of these are further scrutinized  at  the  National  level.  The  winners  of  the  National  competitions  also  get  a  chance  to participate in the Indian Science Congress held each year in January and a select few even go overseas to  compete  at  the  International  level.  DST  has  converged  with  Ministry  of  Human  Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India and Departments of School Education of almost all the States and Union Territories (UTs) to enlist participation from school children from entire country. For example, in 2017 the silver jubilee of NCSC will be celebrated and it would be the endeavor of DST to engage school students from all the districts of the country.

Science Express: To spread awareness about science amongst masses, particularly the youth, DST has been playing an active role and one of its flagship initiatives is  the  Science  Express.  It  is  an innovative science exhibition mounted on a custom-built 16 coach AC train and it has been travelling across the country since its launch in October 2007. It has successfully completed 8 phases of journey, which includes 4 phases as 'Science Express' in collaboration  with Max Planck Society, Germany, 3 phases as 'Biodiversity Special' and recently concluded 'Climate Action Special' in association with Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. To enable young minds and even the community at large to easily understand fundamental concepts of science and mathematics, they are encouraged to indulge in fun-filled activities, games and talks. For this, Science Express has complementary activities which are conducted in its 'Kids Zone', 'Joy-of-Science Lab', and through activities on railway platforms and outreach in schools located in near the railway stations. A team of well trained and highly motivated young science communicators stays on board during the run of 6-7 months in each phase to facilitate this learning. This mega outreach programme of DST, has travelled more than 150,000 kms, crisscrossing the length & breadth of the country on the broad-gauge network of Indian Railway and has received over 1.56 crore visitors at over 450 halts, several of these in remote, border and semi-urban areas.  In addition, over 4000 article, news items,  in  newspapers,  magazines,  journals  and  huge  coverage  in  electronic  &  digital  media  has brought this iconic mobile expo virtually to every nook & corner of India. It already has 6 entries in Limca Book of Records and has now registered for six more records. It is also a shining example of partnership  with  public  &  private  sector  as  agencies  like  Ministry  of  Railways,  MoEFCC, Department of Biotechnology, Petroleum Conservation Research Association, Central Electronics Ltd., and so on and BASF Ltd., HSBC Ltd., Indus Tower etc. also contributed to ensure maximum penetration of S&T in India.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) demonstrations: STEM demonstrations comprises of  Science  fairs, melas ,  exhibitions,  mobile  science  expositions,  lecture-demonstrations, interactive media, visits to S&T establishments, hands-on-STEM activities, and so on. These events, whether stationary or mobile, utilize the expertise of resource persons trained by DST in various activities  on  a  variety  of  themes  like  STEM,  environment,  science  behind  miracles,  vermincomposting, health and so on. Science in toys including novel subjects, puppetry, student activity stalls where they solve puzzles or play mathematical games, ask a good question, design/redesign, spot-the-odd one, draw a future, quizzes, painting, etc.; and skits and street plays, on themes as in the stalls, expose a large number of people to S&T issues; S&T in daily life and cutting-edge S&T career options. About 250 such programmes are held at various places in almost all States and UTs, etc. In addition,  mobile  science  exhibition  take  S&T  to  the  doorsteps  of  rural  population.  The  activities include  science  models,  sky  gazing  camps  through  telescope,  scientific  explanation  of  so-called miracles, etc. The target groups for these activities include youth, women, communities, teachers, gram  panchayat members,  voluntary  organization  and  policy  makers.    Over  20  lakhs  students, teachers  and  common  peoples  have  visited  these  mobile  buses  so  far.  Further,  visits  to  S&T establishments are undertaken to expose young minds to S&T and inculcate interest and develop their curiosity as well as creativity. State S&T Councils, Non Government Organizations, Science Clubs,  Schools  organize  such  activity  in  establishment  like,  research  labs,  industry,  telephone exchanges, power stations, milk plants, railway control rooms, TV Kendra's, hospitals, refineries, weather forecasting centers, bakeries, printing presses, automobile workshops, modern agriculture, poultry farms, etc.

Community  Radio:  Community  Radio  (CR) is  a  radio  service  offering  an  alternative  model  of broadcasting in addition to  commercial and  public broadcasting. Community  stations  serve geographic communities and broadcast content that is popular and relevant to local and specific audiences that are often overlooked by commercial or mass-media broadcasters. CR stations are operated,  owned,  and  influenced  by  the  very  communities  that  these  serve.  These  are  generally nonprofit and enable individuals, groups, and communities to tell their own stories, share experiences

and become creators and contributors of media. The listening zone is between 15-25 kms radius with a 50W transmitter and 30 meter high antenna. DST initiated CR in the 21 st  century and now has supported over 40 such station. DST initially focused on women health issues specially on anemia and menstrual hygiene in adolescent youth, low birth weight, non-communicable diseases, TB, HIV, etc. through  30 minute long programmes produced and broadcast by the community for 365 days with 3 repeats every day. Later, programmes on Planet Earth targeting children were produced. Radio Mathematics, the latest offering, was tried on a pilot basis in 2013. The target groups and focus area were MNREGA workers, local vendors &  street children, small scale industry workers (for business maths) and school students. Presently, 10 CR stations have produced and broadcast 182 programmes each with alternate day broadcast. Several CR stations  target masses in rural, backward and border areas like Bhimavaram, Mukteshwar, Mewat, Guwahati, Assam, Solan, Wayanad, Konark,  Siwan, Dharwad, Alwar, Azamgarh, Lalitpur, and so on.

INSPIRE: DST is implementing a national programme, Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) for attraction of talent amongst the students to study Science and pursue career in research.  Though the programme was launched in December 2008, the implementation started during 2009-10. INSPIRE Award, a Component of INSPIRE programme is implemented centrally through the States/UTs. Under this scheme, during the five years period, two students are selected from  each  middle  and  high  school  of  the  country  for  an  INSPIRE  Award  of  Rs.5000/-  each  for preparing a Science Project/Model.  These awardees, who are students from classes 6 th  to 10 th , then participate in a three tier competition: District, State and National Level.  The projects exhibited are evaluated by a jury of experts.  All the 29 states and 7 UTs are participating in the scheme.

Empowering young women scientists: KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through  Nurturing)  is  a  holistic  initiative  of  DST  that  is  primarily  aimed  at  providing  more opportunities to young women scientists & technologists to pursue and sustain a career in Science & Technology  (S&T)  through  its  various  components  namely  Women  Scientists  Scheme,  Capacity Building Programs, Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence (CURIE), Women Technology Parks (WTP), and the recently launched 'Mobility Scheme'. Women Scientists Scheme acts as a launch-pad for those women scientists who have a break in career, primarily due to family responsibilities. The scheme has three components WOS-A (for basic and applied research), WOS-B (S&T intervention for societal development) and WOS-C (Internship in Intellectual Property Rights). More than 3700 young women have been supported so far to pursue careers in S&T. CURIE is mandated to develop state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure and research facilities in Women-only universities besides exposing students to best practices. DST has extended budgetary support to 6 women-only Universities in the country.

In addition, Socio-economic development programmes of DST primarily aim at reaching S&T to the remote, backward, rural and border areas through adaptive research and development (R&D) so  that  they  derive  benefit  in  terms  of  inclusive  growth.  DST  has  taken  steps  to  motivate  S&T community  and  young  researchers  from  difficult  and  remote  areas  to  apply  and  disseminate knowledge for the benefit and empowerment of people. Such schemes & programmes comprise of Technological Advancement  for  Rural Areas  (TARA),  Technological  Intervention  for Addressing Societal Needs including Technology Intervention Programme for Disabled & Elderly Population Scheme  for  Young  Scientists  |&  Technologists,  Women  Technology  Parks  (WTP),  Technology Application  for  Livelihood  Improvement  of  Scheduled  Caste  Population  and  Technological Interventions for Tribal Empowerment including specific initiatives like People & Protected Area programme  for  tribal  communalities  for  better  quality-of-life.  S&T  led  projects  are  being implemented engaging youth of remote, backward rural and border areas for inclusive growth both in  farm  and  non-farm  sectors,  such  as  diversified  agriculture,  post-harvest  processing,  nursery technology, bio-fertilizers, food processing, medicinal and aromatic plants, cottage industries,  low cost  housing,  energy  efficient  devices,  waste  management  though  value  addition  and  income generation etc across the country. For instance, Vigyan Ashram, based in Pune, has been able to

disseminate  Solar  and  Pedal  power  LED  lamp  technology  in  tribal  areas  of  Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh by adopting concept of 'learning while doing'. In this endeavor, 372 rural youth were trained during 2013-14 in assembly and marketing of Solar LED lamps as Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) and 18400 units of LED lamps have been provided by VLEs to tribal  households  which  evidently  indicates  their  effective  role  to  source  and  use  technology  led employment opportunity as well as providing lighting service in remote rural areas. In such an effort, 11 tribal villages have been converted into Solar Gram with 100% households adopting solar LED lamps. Besides, VA has been able to engage rural youths and 10th drop-outs in IBT (introduction to basic rural technology in farm and non-farm sector like poultry farming, electrical and carpentry work etc.) based secondary school technology transfer programme. Also, WTPs have been launched in 32 locations, mostly in rural hinterland and border areas including in Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, and so on where young girls are trained through various mechanisms in utilizing S&T to become self-employed and also engage in community services.

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