Question : Scientific Awareness Programme

(a) whether any steps are being taken to boost the scientific awareness of school students in the country and counsel them on a career path in the field;

(b) if so, the details thereof in terms of the number of students reached, the number of States/UTs in the country where this programme is being implemented and the funds allocated and utilized for the same;

(c) whether the Government has also worked out any plan to distribute science and technology kit to promote research and experiment at school level;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR HARSH VARDHAN)
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(a) Yes Sir. The government has taken a number of steps to boost the scientific awareness of school students in the country and counsel them on a career path in the field. A number of programmes have been launched by the Department of Science & Technology. These include: Children’s Science Congress organised across the country, outreach and demonstration programmes under Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM); scientific awareness through one hour programme on DD Science Channel and a 24X7 Internet-based science Over-The-Top (OTT) Channel. To promote research and foster a culture of innovation among school children in the age group of 10 to 15 years and studying in Classes 6 to 10, a programme called INSPIRE Award-MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) has been launched. The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has launched a programme ‘Jigyasa’ to develop ‘Scientific Temper’ in the young minds. The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), under the Ministry of Culture, is engaged in popularizing Science and Technology through a network of Science Centres and Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) units.

(b) Children’s Science Congress reaches out to about 2.50 lakh school students across the country covering all the States and Union Territories utilizing Rs 8.79 crore during 2019-20. Outreach and STEMM demonstration programme reach out to more than 1.00 lakh students each year, covering all the States and Union Territories of the country. INSPIRE Award-MANAK scheme targets ten lakh ideas from more than five lakh middle and high schools across the country. Out of all these, one lakh ideas are shortlisted for award of Rs. 10,000/- each, who then participate in District, State and National Level Exhibitions with 10% of the ideas / participants selected at each level. The scheme is being implemented in all the States/UTs of the country. During 2019-20, a total of approximately 3.92 lakh nominations were received, out of which 42,143 ideas have been shortlisted for INSPIRE Award-MANAK. Rs. 68.0 crore have been allocated for this scheme during 2019-20. The Jigyasa program is operated at CSIR laboratories located in 19 States and Union Territories. About 73,100 school students and 6,000 teachers have been exposed to CSIR laboratories under Jigyasa program. Rs. 125.00 lakh were allocated to operate the Jigyasa Program in the year 2018-19.

(c) & (d): Yes, Sir. Science kits are distributed to under-privileged children who visit the science centres of NCSM, for doing experiments at home, under ‘Museum for Masses’ program of Ministry of Culture. Vigyan Prasar, an Autonomous Organization of Department of Science & Technology, has developed a number of popular science kits for school students that enhance the curiosity amongst them.

(e) Does not arise.

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