Science maybe an interesting subject, but the best brains seem to first prefer medicine, engineering, law, accountancy and others. Luring bright young minds back to basic sciences is a challenge, and that’s exactly what top scientists and institutions have decided to do in a joint effort with the help of a voluntary body.
The result is setting up of Science India portal, a web platform connecting scientists to schoolchildren to pique their interest in science and nurture them towards building careers in the field. The initiative has brought together top scientific and research institutes, universities, IITs and defence labs to mentor students from class VI to 12.
“We want to tell children that solutions to real-life issues can be found in science and technology, and explain how scientific research has led to dramatic changes in people’s lives over the years,” said S. Chandrasekhar, Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT).
Identifying students
The web portal is an initiative of Vignana Bharati and is supported by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), with knowledge partners being CSIR and IICT. “We have requested science teachers in schools to identify students with inquisitive mind. Depending on their areas of interest, they will be allotted mentors chosen from among scientists on voluntary basis,” he said.
Significant work on the portal www.scienceindia.in is happening under his watch as the chief editor and it has had a soft launch through Union Minister Nitin Gadkari during the fourth India International Science Festival (IISF) held in Lucknow earlier this month.
Mentorship programme
The science platform offers a mentorship programme and encourages students to write and read on various topics in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and environmental sciences that are further divided into sub-categories.
“We have tied up with Kendriya Vidyalayas and Zilla Parishad schools to begin with. Now, there are over 20,000 students and 1,424 schools on board with 795 mentor-scientists volunteering to participate in the project. The portal especially opens up opportunities for students in rural areas to connect with scientific institutions and scientists,” pointed out Dr. Chandrasekhar.
Profiles of top scientists and their discoveries are on the portal to inspire students, who are encouraged to ask questions, write blogs and enquire about careers. “We are also inviting students to spend a week with any of the CSIR and other institutions for first-hand experience in what happens in labs,” he added.
