Lok Sabha Question No. 939 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Instill Scientific Approach among Students
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 939

LOK SABHA TO BE ANSWERED ON 22/11/2019

## INSTILL SCIENTIFIC APPROACH AMONG STUDENTS

## †939. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is implementing any scheme, to instill scientific approach among students of North Eastern States;
- (b) if so, the manner in which students are likely to be benefited with these schemes along with the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is working on launching any other scheme to instill scientific approach in students
- throughout the country; and
- (d) if so, the details of the various schemes thereof, scheme and State/ UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

## वाय और परवार कयाण मंी ; वान और ौयोगक मंी ; और पृ वी वान मंी

## डॉ. हष वधन

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. The Children's Science Congress (CSC) is a programme being implemented in North Eastern states to  instill  scientific  approach  among  students.  The  programme benefits  the  students  to  understand  the  science  better through the eye of common man and identifying the societal relevance of their research. The students are encouraged to learn by doing innovative theme-based project in science. The students identify a community problem and apply their scientific  knowledge  to  find  out  an  innovative  solutions  to  these  problems.  This  benefits  the  society  as  the  student community  are  now  aware  of  problems  and  are  thinking  of  solutions  to  solve  problems.  The  students  also  enjoy learning  science  by  doing  the  innovative  projects.  Every  year  nearly  700  students  participate  at  National  event  of Children's Science Congress where they demonstrate their scientific thinking and approach to problem solving.

The  Department  is  also  implementing  INSPIRE  Award  -  MANAK  (Million  Minds  Augmenting  National Aspiration and Knowledge) scheme for school children in the age group of 10-15 years and studying in Class 6 th -10 th to promote research and innovation among them.  Though, the scheme is not specifically targeted towards students from all over the country, the scheme has good outreach in schools located in North Eastern States of the country and all the North Eastern States only, however, the scheme has good outreach in schools located in North Eastern States of the country and all the State of North-East are participating in this scheme. Under INSPIRE Award - MANAK scheme, in a Financial Year, ten (10.0) lakh ideas are targeted from more than five (05) lakh middle and high schools across the country, out of which one (1.0) lakh ideas are to be shortlisted for an initial award of Rs. 10,000/- for preparation of project/model/showcasing  of  idea.  The  awardees  then  participate  in  three  tier  competition  i.e.  District,  State  and National Level. Participants of National Exhibition are also provided mentoring support at premier Educational and technical institutions of  the country. In 2018-19, 344 INSPIRE Awards were sanctioned to the students from NorthEastern States.

Department of Science and Technology through its novel initiative Augmenting Writing Skills in Articulating Research  (AWSAR)  is  encouraging  PhD  students  working  in  R&D  Universities  and  S&T  Institutions  across  the country, to connect with society through popular science writing about their research work in simple language.

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) has set up Science Centres in North Eastern States as listed at Annexure 'A' in order to popularize Science & Technology in cities, urban and rural areas of North Eastern States to develop scientific attitude and temper and to create, inculcate and sustain a general awareness among the students of NE states. Science Museums and Science Centres under NCSM are better known for their extensive round the year educational  activities  aimed  at  the  young  student  community,  teachers,  young  entrepreneurs,  physically  challenged, house wives. The basic idea is to  help our  youth and common man to understand science better through hands-onactivities/ experiments, create an interest for science as carrier option and foster creativity and innovation. Some of the most popular educational activities are: science demonstrations, science seminars on current S&T issues, science fairs, science  drama  competitions,  debates,  writing  and  drawing  competitions,  science  hobby  camps,  sky  observation programs and nature trails. NCSM has also launched (03) three Mobile Science Exhibition vans popularly known as 'Museobus'  in North Eastern region for taking science to the doorsteps of rural population including students.

## Name  of  Science  Centre  set  up  by  National  Council  of  Science  Museums  (NCSM)  in  North  Eastern  State  and functioning under its administrative control:-

| Sl.   | Names of the Science Centre under NCSM in North Eastern Region   | State-wise location   |
|-------|------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| No.   |                                                                  |                       |
| 01    | Regional Science Centre, Guwahati                                | Assam                 |

## Names of Sub-Regional Science Centres developed by NCSM jointly with the respective State Govts and handed over to them for operation and maintenance:-

|   Sl. No. | Names of the Science Centres developed by NCSM and handed over to respective State Governments   | State-wise location   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|         1 | Mizoram Science Centre, Aizwal                                                                   | Mizoram               |
|         2 | Nagaland Science Centre, Dimapur,                                                                | Nagaland              |
|         3 | Manipur Science Centre, Manipur                                                                  | Manipur               |
|         4 | Itanagar Science Centre, Itanagar                                                                | Arunachal Pradesh     |
|         5 | Shillong Science Centre, Shillong,                                                               | Meghalaya             |
|         6 | Sikkim Science Centre, Gangtok                                                                   | Sikkim                |
|         7 | Jorhat Science Centre, Jorhat                                                                    | Assam                 |

## Names of new Science Centre projects in North Eastern region taken up by NCSM under SPOCS Scheme of Govt. of India:-

|   Sl. No. | Names of the Science Centre projects taken up by NCSM   | State-wise location   |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|        01 | Science City, Guwahati                                  | Assam                 |
|        02 | Assam Science Centre, Kokrajhar                         | Assam                 |
|        03 | Tripura Science Centre, Udaipur                         | Tripura               |

NCSM  has  also  setup  Innovation  Hubs  for  RSC,  Guwahati,  Sukanta  Academy,  Tripura,  Shilong  Science  Centre, (Mehagalaya), Nagaland Science Centre, Dimapur, (Nagaland), Sikkim Science Centre, Gangtok, (Sikkim), Mizoram Science Centre, Aizwal, (Mizoram) Arunachal Pradesh Science Centre, Itanagar, (Arunachal Pradesh).

NCSM has also set up Space & Astronomy Education Centres at Shillong (Meghalaya), Gangtok (Sikkim), Dimapur (Nagaland), Aizwal (Mizoram), Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) &Imphal (Manipur) to popularise space & astronomy related education and awareness in NE States of India.

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