Lok Sabha Question No. 1220 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Schemes to Increase interest of Children in Science
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sanjay Seth

- (a)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1220 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14/12/2022

## SCHEMES TO INCREASE INTEREST OF CHILDREN IN SCIENCE

## † 1220. SHRI SANJAY SETH:

मंğी

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any scheme is being implemented to increase the interest and inclination of children towards science;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any scheme is being run by the Government to encourage child scientists in the country; and
- (d) if  so,  the  State-wise  details  of  child  scientists  who  have  been encouraged during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ तथा पृ Øवी ͪव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार) (डॉ . िजतɅġ ͧसंह)

- Yes Sir.
- (b) Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  is  implementing INSPIRE  MANAK  (Million  Minds  Augmenting  National  Aspiration  and Knowledge), Vigyan Jyoti and National Children Science Congress (NCSC) to  increase  the  interest  and  inclination  of  children  towards  science. INSPIRE  MANAK  aims  to  attract  young  students  to  study  science  and pursue  research  career  and  to  promote  creative  thinking  and  foster  a culture of innovation among them.  A total of 18,10,311 students have been supported under INSPIRE Awards since the start of the scheme.  Vigyan Jyoti  encourages  meritorious  girl  students  of  Class  9-12  to  pursue education and career in Science and Technology. Since the inception, more than 30000 girls have been benefitted through various interventions under

Vigyan  Jyoti.  The  National  Children  Science  Congress  (NCSC)  aims  to create the interest in the children of age group 10-17 in Science.

National  Council  of  Science  Museums  (NCSM)  is  the  implementing agency for the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS) of MoC, Govt. of India for setting up of Science Cities/Science Centres/Innovation Hubs & Digital Planetarium in the Country.

Under the Ministry of Earth Sciences umbrella scheme Research, Education and Training Outreach (REACHOUT), activities are planned and implemented to increase the interest and inclination of children towards science.

National  Council  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (NCERT) organises National Level Science Exhibition since 1971, for popularising science and inculcating scientific temper among children. NCERT organises Rashtriya Avishkar Saptah since 2018, for involving children in various experimentations and exploration in science. Both these activities are funded by Ministry of Education.

The  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  has  been engaged  in connecting  school  students with scientists through its 'Jigyasa' (student-scientist connect) program. The programme envisages opening  up  the  national  scientific  facilities  to  school  children,  enabling CSIR scientific knowledgebase and facility to be utilized by school children to develop 'Scientific Temper' in the young minds.

- (c) Yes Sir.
- (d) The  number  of  students  selected  under  the  INSPIRE  AwardsMANAK  Scheme  implemented by the Department of Science and Technology during the last three years are as below:

|   S No. | States/UTs          |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |
|---------|---------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|       1 | Andaman and Nicobar |        27 |         4 |        17 |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh      |      5213 |      3877 |      3993 |
|       3 | Arunachal Pradesh   |        11 |         9 |        21 |
|       4 | Assam               |        97 |        97 |       192 |
|       5 | Bihar               |       423 |      4108 |      2956 |
|       6 | Chandigarh          |        49 |        60 |        49 |
|       7 | Chhattisgarh        |      3078 |      3391 |      3678 |

| 8              | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu   | 37    |    28 |    18 |
|----------------|--------------------------------------------|-------|-------|-------|
| 9              | Delhi                                      | 305   |   232 |   170 |
| 10             | Goa                                        | 45    |    39 |    83 |
| 11             | Gujarat                                    | 1012  |  1191 |   627 |
| 12             | Haryana                                    | 888   |   651 |   705 |
| 13             | Himachal Pradesh                           | 1062  |   442 |   711 |
| 14             | Jammu and Kashmir                          | 264   |  1123 |  1276 |
| 15             | Jharkhand                                  | 626   |  1180 |  2082 |
| 16             | Karnataka                                  | 7861  |  6879 |  7825 |
| 17             | Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan               | 275   |   835 |   664 |
| 18 Kerala      |                                            | 249   |  1119 |  1141 |
| 19 Lakshadweep | 4                                          |       |     0 |     3 |
| 20 Madhya      | Pradesh                                    | 2310  |   819 |  1512 |
| 21 Maharashtra | 3844                                       |       |  3139 |  2925 |
| 22             | Manipur                                    | 25    |    19 |    13 |
| 23             | Meghalaya                                  | 17    |     8 |     6 |
| 24             | Mizoram                                    | 11    |    12 |    20 |
| 25             | Nagaland                                   | 9     |     2 |     3 |
| 26             | Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti                  | 25    |    77 |   146 |
| 27 Odisha      |                                            | 1366  |  7395 |  3659 |
| 28             | Puducherry                                 | 157   |    73 |    58 |
| 29             | Punjab                                     | 362   |   310 |   411 |
| 30             | Rajasthan                                  | 2019  |  8027 | 10019 |
| 31             | Sikkim                                     | 136   |    11 |    14 |
| 32             | Tamil Nadu                                 | 2302  |  1371 |  1596 |
| 33             | Telangana                                  | 3472  |  3813 |  2805 |
| 34             | Tripura                                    | 142   |    30 |    16 |
| 35             | Uttar Pradesh                              | 1947  |  1641 |  1722 |
| 36             | Uttarakhand                                | 2411  |   947 |  1528 |
| 37             | West Bengal                                | 62    |    60 |    47 |
| 38             | Ladakh                                     | 0     |     2 |     9 |
|                | Total                                      | 42143 | 53021 | 52720 |

The  state-wise  details  of  girl  students  encouraged  under  Vigyan  Jyoti programme of Department of Science and Technology during last three years are mentioned below:

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| State/UTs           | Phase-1          | Phase-1              | Phase-II         | Phase-II             | Phase-III        | Phase-III            |
|---------------------|------------------|----------------------|------------------|----------------------|------------------|----------------------|
|                     | No. of Districts | No. of girl students | No. of Districts | No. of girl students | No. of Districts | No. of girl students |
| Andaman and Nicobar | -                | -                    | 1                | 100                  | 1                | 100                  |

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| Andhra Pradesh                   | -   | -    | 3   | 298   |   7 |   692 |
|----------------------------------|-----|------|-----|-------|-----|-------|
| Arunachal Pradesh                | 1   | 50   | 1   | 95    |   4 |   276 |
| Assam                            | 2   | 100  | 4   | 399   |  11 |   935 |
| Bihar                            | 3   | 150  | 5   | 499   |   8 |   671 |
| Chandigarh                       | 1   | 50   | 1   | 100   |   1 |    99 |
| Chhattisgarh                     | 2   | 100  | 4   | 385   |   8 |   779 |
| Dadar, Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu | 1   | 50   | 2   | 200   |   2 |   200 |
| Delhi                            | 1   | 50   | 1   | 99    |   2 |   197 |
| Goa                              | 1   | 50   | 1   | 100   |   1 |    97 |
| Gujarat                          | 1   | 50   | 4   | 400   |  10 |   797 |
| Haryana                          | 1   | 50   | 3   | 297   |   6 |   586 |
| Himachal Pradesh                 | 2   | 100  | 4   | 400   |   8 |   733 |
| Jammu and Kashmir                | -   | -    | 2   | 134   |   5 |   378 |
| Jharkhand                        | 2   | 100  | 4   | 399   |   9 |   644 |
| Karnataka                        | 3   | 150  | 5   | 500   |   9 |   891 |
| Kerala                           | 2   | 100  | 3   | 302   |   7 |   690 |
| Ladakh                           | -   | -    | 1   | 96    |   1 |    88 |
| Madhya Pradesh                   | 2   | 100  | 5   | 493   |  10 |   977 |
| Maharashtra                      | 3   | 150  | 5   | 496   |  11 |  1038 |
| Manipur                          | 1   | 50   | 2   | 200   |   4 |   271 |
| Meghalaya                        | 1   | 50   | 2   | 200   |   3 |   222 |
| Mizoram                          | -   | -    | -   | -     |   1 |    43 |
| Nagaland                         | 1   | 50   | 1   | 95    |   1 |    54 |
| Odisha                           | 2   | 100  | 4   | 400   |   8 |   778 |
| Puducherry                       | -   | -    | 1   | 100   |   4 |   400 |
| Punjab                           | -   | -    | 4   | 394   |   7 |   683 |
| Rajasthan                        | 4   | 200  | 6   | 599   |  10 |   967 |
| Sikkim                           | 1   | 50   | 1   | 100   |   2 |   200 |
| Telangana                        | 2   | 100  | 3   | 299   |   5 |   493 |
| Tripura                          | -   | -    | 1   | 100   |   3 |   213 |
| Uttarakhand                      | 3   | 150  | 5   | 494   |   7 |   671 |
| Uttar Pradesh                    | 4   | 200  | 8   | 797   |  14 |  1279 |
| West Bengal                      | 2   | 150  | 4   | 399   |  10 |   940 |
| Total                            | 50  | 2500 | 100 | 9869  | 200 | 18082 |

The children participating in National Children Science Congress (NCSC) learn the process of Science by doing innovative projects.  They identify the problems occurring in their immediate community and attempt to solve

the problems by applying the methods of science. The state wise details of participation in NCSC during the last three years are as below:

| Sl.                             | State                            |   Number of Participants |   Number of Participants |   Number of Participants |
|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|                                 |                                  |                     2018 |                     2019 |                     2021 |
| 1                               | Andaman and Nicobar Islands (UT) |                        4 |                        4 |                        4 |
| 2                               | Andhra Pradesh                   |                       17 |                       17 |                       17 |
| 3                               | Arunachal Pradesh                |                       10 |                       10 |                       10 |
| 4                               | Assam                            |                       26 |                       26 |                       26 |
| 5                               | Bihar                            |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 6                               | Chandigarh                       |                        4 |                        4 |                        4 |
| 7                               | Chhattisgarh                     |                       16 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 8                               | Daman and Diu                    |                        0 |                        2 |                        2 |
| 9                               | DELHI                            |                        8 |                        8 |                        8 |
| 10                              | Goa                              |                        8 |                        8 |                        8 |
| 11                              | Gujarat                          |                       26 |                       26 |                       33 |
| 12                              | Gulf                             |                        9 |                       15 |                       15 |
| 13                              | Haryana                          |                       16 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 14                              | Himachal Pradesh                 |                       16 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 15                              | J&K Jammu                        |                       16 |                        8 |                       16 |
| 16                              | J&K Kashmir                      |                        0 |                        8 |                        0 |
| 17                              | Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya       |                       32 |                       32 |                       32 |
| 18                              | Jharkhand                        |                       12 |                       14 |                        0 |
| 19                              | Karnataka                        |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 20 Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan |                                  |                       42 |                       42 |                       42 |
| 21                              | Kerala                           |                       16 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 22                              | Lakshadweep                      |                        4 |                        4 |                        0 |
| 23                              | Madhya Pradesh                   |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 24                              | Maharashtra                      |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 25                              | MANIPUR                          |                       10 |                       10 |                       10 |
| 26                              | Meghalaya                        |                        8 |                        8 |                        7 |
| 27                              | MIZORAM                          |                        8 |                        8 |                        8 |
| 28                              | Nagaland                         |                        8 |                        8 |                        0 |
| 29                              | Odisha                           |                       26 |                       26 |                       26 |
| 30                              | Puducherry                       |                        6 |                        6 |                        6 |
| 31                              | Punjab                           |                       15 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 32                              | Rajasthan                        |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 33                              | Tamil Nadu                       |                       30 |                       30 |                       30 |
| 34                              | Telangana                        |                       13 |                       13 |                        0 |
| 35                              | Tripura                          |                       10 |                       10 |                       10 |
| 36                              | Uttar Pradesh                    |                       40 |                       42 |                       28 |
| 37                              | Uttarakhand                      |                       16 |                       16 |                       16 |
| 38                              | West Bengal                      |                       29 |                       30 |                       30 |
|                                 | Grand Total                      |                      651 |                      665 |                      618 |

The number of individual members in the operational 39 Innovation Hubs located  in  various  states/UTs  under  the  National  Council  of  Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture during the last three years is shown as under:

| Year    |   No. of individual members |
|---------|-----------------------------|
| 2019-20 |                        5190 |
| 2020-21 |                        2301 |
| 2021-22 |                        1950 |

Child  scientists  from  all  the  states  are  encouraged  to  participate  in International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) and other competitions. Total students registered / appeared in national exam of Earth Science Olympiad were as following:

| Year          |   Total Students registered |
|---------------|-----------------------------|
| 2019          |                        4129 |
| 2020 (Online) |                        9436 |
| 2022 (Online) |                        2436 |

Students of team won a total of 25 medals including 12 Gold medals in different competition activities of IESO during 2019-22.

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