MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
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(a) & (b) Department of Science & Technology (DST) under Ministry of Science & Technology is implementing INSPIRE Awards MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) scheme, under its flagship programme Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE). The INSPIRE Awards MANAK scheme is a unique initiative to attract talented school students at an early age to study science and pursue research career, apart from fostering a culture of innovation among them.
The scheme caters to school children in the age group of 10-15 years and studying in class 6-10. INSPIRE Award MANAK scheme targets ten (10.0) lakh ideas from more than five (05) lakh middle and high schools across the country every year. Out of these, one lakh ideas are eligible for INSPIRE Award of Rs. 10000/-each. These selected students then participate in district, state and national level exhibitions and competitions. The participants of national level exhibition are provided mentorship at premier educational and technical institutions of the country. Top sixty projects are rewarded as national winners.
In 2019-20 cycle, 3,92,486 ideas and innovations have been received by the department from students of all States and Union Territories of the country. Out of these, 42,143 ideas were selected for INSPIRE Award and each student was provided with a financial support of Rs 10,000/- for participation in the program. The details of the funds allocated for INSPIRE Awards and towards organization of District/State Level Exhibitions & Project Competitions (D/SLEPCs) to all the State/UTs, including to the State of Tamil Nadu, is at Annexure.
(c) & (d) The scheme covers school children in the age group of 10 to 15 years and studying in class VI to X in about five lakh middle and high schools across the country, including students from villages.
To augment the number of students participating in INSPIRE MANAK scheme, mass awareness of the scheme through audio-visual tools, posters, brochures etc., developed in local and regional languages, is being undertaken by the department. Regional and district level workshops are being organized involving teachers, district and state functionaries implementing the scheme, to popularize the scheme and enhance participation in the scheme.
Further, to augment the students towards science related activities, National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) under DST is organizing Children’s Science Congress every year, where in children get an opportunity to exhibit their creative thinking and innovativeness in applying methods of science to solve societal problems experienced locally. NCSTC also organizes science fairs, melas, expositions, interactive media visits to S&T establishments like labs and industry, hands-on-STEM activities, and so on to create and enhance scientific knowledge of students.
DST is also implementing Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KYPY) to attract exceptionally highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research career in science. The objective of the program is to identify students with talent and aptitude for research; help them realize their academic potential; encourage them to take up research career in science and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds for research and development in the country.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), under Ministry of Science & Technology, has started a student-scientist connect programme JIGYASA with an objective to extend the classroom learning and to focus on a well planned research laboratory based learning. Student residential programmes, lab specific activities etc., are included under this program.
National Council of Educational Research and Training under Ministry of Human Resource Development is implementing National Talent Search Scheme (NTS) to identify and nurture talented students by awarding them with scholarships. The scholarships are given to students qualifying National Talent Search Examination.
Annexure
Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of the Question No. 3375 to be replied on 13/03/2020
Funds allocated/ sanctioned to State/UTs and under the scheme:
Sl. No. States/UTs Funds allocated for INSPIRE Awards sanctioned in 2019-20 ( Rs. in lakh) Funds release for organisation of D/SLEPCs during 2018-19 and 2019-20
( Rs. In Lakh)
1 Andaman and Nicobar 2.7 -
2 Andhra Pradesh 521.3 -
3 Arunachal Pradesh 1.1 -
4 Assam 9.7 -
5 Bihar 42.3 -
6 Chandigarh 4.9 2.06
7 Chhattisgarh 307.8 44.17
8 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 0.9 -
9 Daman and Diu 2.8 1.30
10 Delhi 30.5 3.37
11 Goa 4.5 -
12 Gujarat 101.2 -
13 Haryana 88.8 -
14 Himachal Pradesh 106.2 65.40
15 *Jammu and Kashmir 26.4 -
16 Jharkhand 62.6 -
17 Karnataka 786.1 104.48
18 Kerala 24.9 5.03
19 Lakshadweep 0.4 -
20 Madhya Pradesh 231 53.70
21 Maharashtra 384.4 164.20
22 Manipur 2.5 1.13
23 Meghalaya 1.7 -
24 Mizoram 1.1 -
25 Nagaland 0.9 -
26 Odisha 136.6 92.51
27 Puducherry 15.7 6.21
28 Punjab 36.2 -
29 Rajasthan 201.9 -
30 Sikkim 13.6 16.77
31 Tamil Nadu 230.2 84.82
32 Telangana 347.2 146.47
33 Tripura 14.2 9.18
34 Uttar Pradesh 194.7 -
25 Uttarakhand 241.1 97.40
36 West Bengal 6.2 -
# Autonomus Institutions
1 Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) 27.5 -
2 Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) 2.5 -
Total 4214.3 898.20
*The J&K is taken as one entity for the current FY , as Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 came into existence in August 2019 and the cycle of INSPIRE Awards begins from 1st April, every year.
# Autonomous institutions KVS and NVS are participating in the scheme and are counted as separate State for better functioning of the scheme.
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