(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e): Yes Madam. A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION * 170 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07/03/2018 REGARDING “SCIENCE FESTIVALS”.
(a) Yes Madam. The Ministry of Science and Technology organizes India International Science Festival every year in collaboration with Ministry of Earth Sciences. All the Departments under Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences participate in the event. Various other Ministries and Departments of Central and State Government also participate in the event.
(b) The prime objective of the festival is to instill scientific temper among the masses and showcasing India’s contribution in all the fields of S&T from ancient to the modern period. It also aims to build a strategy for the development of rural India through the advancement of Science and Technology. Further, the science festival also intends to showcase innovative affordable technologies for the benefit of masses. To showcase and highlight the flagship programmes of Government of India like Swacch Bharat, Swastha Bharat, Make in India, Digital India, Smart Villages etc is also a major aim. IISF tries to bring world class scientists and technocrats to visit the festival and give exposure to Indian youth and students.
(c) Three IISF have been held so far, since the year 2015. Ist IISF at IIT Delhi, New Delhi; 2nd IISF at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi and 3rd IISF at Anna University, Chennai.
Achievements
? The festivals focused on the major scientific achievements by youth and future prospects in the scientific arena through Young Scientists’ Meet (YSM), Mega Science, Technology and Industrial Expo, International Science Film Festival, Innovation Models and ‘INSPIRE’ presentations, IRIS (Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science) National Science Fair, Scientist–Students Interaction, workshops and interactive sessions, and the largest collective science practical session ‘Catalysis’.
? IISF had been the first science festival organized in our country to promote the ‘potential benefits of science to the society’, and simultaneously inculcating and nurturing the scientific caliber.
? School students from adopted villages by Hon’ble MPs under the Pradhan Mantri Sansad Aadarsh Gram Yojna have been invited in the IISF which inspired them and got exposure to interact with eminent scientists from BARC, DRDO,IISc,TFRI etc.
? 25 State councils on Science & Technology took part in the last expo at IISF 2017.
? 300 Labs & Institutions across the country have participated and displayed their achievements and contributions in the field of Science & Technology.
? 25 Central Ministries were present in the Expo.
? Science Models, Science Parks, Biotechnology Programme of India, Space Satellite Models, Defence Missiles and Warfare Tanks, Hands on Projects, etc. were few of the attractions of the Expo.
? Achieved “Guinness Book World Record” for successful conduct of Largest Practical Science Lesson by 2000 school students during IISF-2015.
? One thousand and forty nine (1049) students of 9 and 10 standards from twenty one (21) different schools in Tamilnadu gathered at the venue of IISF-2017 in Anna University to achieve a “Guinness Book World Record”.
(d) Yes Madam, Government proposes to hold the 4th IISF during 5th October – 8th October, 2018 at Lucknow, UP and a total number of 12,500 delegates are expected for the event comprising of students, young scientists, women scientists, farmers, innovators, global scientists and technocrats with Indian origin, successful startups and grassroots innovators etc. Objective of the festival is to instill scientific temper among the masses and showcasing India’s contribution in the field of S&T over the years. It aims to build a strategy for rural India through the advancement of Science and Technology. Further, the science festival also intends to make innovation beneficial for the people and develop technology that is affordable to the masses.
Selected students from North East region would be special invitees for IISF 2018 where they can interact with eminent scientists of our country.
As a part of mutual students exchange programme we are inviting 200 selected students from SAARC countries to the festival.
(e) Various schemes/awards etc. have been launched by Ministry of Science & Technology to promote the science & technology in the country. Some of the schemes/awards are National Women Bio-scientist Awards, National Bioscience Awards for Career Development, The Innovative Young Bio technologist Award (IYBA), DBT-CTEP Programme, Ramalingaswamy Re-entry Fellowship, Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme, etc.
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