By SHRI RAM SHAW
New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh said that “Atal Tinkering Labs”, introduced at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have proved to be game-changer for school children and India’s scientific prowess is going to have a major role in the making of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.
While inaugurating the New Delhi Municipal Council’s (NDMC) Schools Annual Science Fair at NDCC Convention Center, Dr Jitendra Singh said, “Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Incubation Centres and Atal Community Innovation Centres are inculcating an innovative mindset in school children, besides supporting StartUps and innovators”.
Referring to Mentorship programmes of the Department of Science & Technology and Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), Dr Jitendra Singh said, all these are guided with the Mantra of “Catch them Young”. The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), which recently completed its 7th year, is complementary to the government’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”.
Young minds will steer India’s future growth with Science & Technology and Innovation, the Minister said. India’s scientific prowess is going to have a major role in the making of Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, our greatest asset is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who not only has a natural predilection for science, but is also forthcoming in supporting and promoting S&T based initiatives and projects. Science & Technology and Innovation go hand in hand and a country with a good scientific temper and R&D structure will excel in innovation and entrepreneurship. The Minister recalled that in 2019, PM Modi at 106th Science Congress, emphasised the importance of Research by adding “Jai Anusandhan” to the famous slogan “Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan, Jai Vigyan”.
He pointed out that in the past few years, India has covered a long distance in the innovation landscape and today India has more than 1,25,000 Startups and 100+ Unicorns. “This has been possible with the government’s various initiatives like Atal Innovation Mission and INSPIRE-MANAK Awards,” he said.
With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million Children in India as Neoteric Innovators’, AIM is establishing ATLs in schools across India. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc.
ATL is a workspace where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands-on do-it-yourself mode; and learn innovation skills. Young children get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). ATL contains educational and learning ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) kits and equipment on science, electronics, robotics, open-source microcontroller boards, sensors and 3D printers and computers.
There are 10,000 ATLs spread across the country, with 75 lakh students actively engaged. Under the AIM, 59 Atal Incubation Centres have created over 32,000 jobs and supported more than 2,900 Startups.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the DST is also encouraging more and more students to participate in the INSPIRE– MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge) Awards scheme.
“It is heartening to note that there were 7 lakh entries from across the country for the INSPIRE Awards and more than half of them were girl innovators. Besides, 83% of the entries were from the rural areas and this is a vindication of Prime Minister’s vision to take Science, Technology and Innovation to the rural hinterland and at the doorsteps of Aspirational Districts and Blocks,” he said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh narrated how the Jigyasa programme is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a new India and Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) of Scientific Community and Institutions.
Jigyasa is a Student-Scientist Connect Programme implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
Singh said, these young innovators will play a crucial role in the Amrit Kaal to contribute to make India a global tech hub by 2047 when India will celebrate Hundred years of Independence. “This 3rd Generation of post-Independence Bharat is the most fortunate as they are no longer ‘Prisoners of their Aspirations,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, adding, “These are one of the best times with India in the forefront, witnessing innovation under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi”.
The Minister expressed the hope that in the coming years, Innovation in India will play a vital role in achieving the goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy. Singh also took a round of the stalls in the exhibition put up on the occasion and witnessed different kinds of science models prepared by the students. NDMC Chairman Amit Yadav was also present on the occasion.
The NDMC Annual Science Fair was held after a hiatus of three years due to the pandemic. The theme of the fair was “Technology and Toys”. Apart from NDMC Schools, some public schools in NDMC area, National Science Center, Science Magazine-Science Reporter and Avishkar also participated in the two-day Science Fair. Science Games, quiz, debate, health mela, science toys etc. were also attractions of Science Fair.
More than 60 exhibits were displayed in the Science Fair, showcasing the scientific temperament, aptitude and innovative minds of the future scientists. Science/Mathematics inventive exhibits, displays from Palika Tinkering Lab / Atal Tinkering Lab, and interactive workshops for students on “Fun with Science,” “Science Behind Miracles,” and exploring the wonders of science with the National Science Centre were also in the science fair.
The overarching goal of the exhibition is to educate children on “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and contribute to the education of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The Science Fair also highlights the Digital India Mission and the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, Singh added.
In a bid to foster a scientific spirit among school children and under the vision of Prime Minister ‘LiFE’ – “Lifestyle for Environment, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) organized the NDMC Schools Annual Science Fair, centered on the theme “Technology and Toys,” said Satish Upadhyay, Vice Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council.
Upadhyay highlighted that the event aligned with the Digital India Mission and the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy. He said this science fair showcased the ingenuity of NDMC school children and featured participants from other renowned schools, including St. Columbus, St. Thomas, Modern School, Sardar Patel, etc. The overarching goal of the exhibition is to educate children on “Aatm Nirbhar Bharat” and contribute to the education of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
One of the standout features of the science fair was the “Live Science Talk” with prominent scientists and experts in the field. The event was open to students from all schools, parents, guardians, educators, school administrators, and science enthusiasts.
Some highlights of the exhibition included the Mission Life Exhibition by primary students, Health Mela, Science Games, Science/Mathematics inventive exhibits, displays from Palika Tinkering Lab /Atal Tinkering Lab, and interactive workshops for students on “Fun with Science,” “Science Behind Miracles,” and exploring the wonders of science with the National Science Centre. The fair also featured a display of science magazines and a “Do It Yourself” (DIY) Zone.
Apart from schools, the participants in the fair also included the National Science Centre, science magazines and science reporters. Science games, quiz, debate, health fair, science toys were other attractions of this science fair. More than 60 exhibitions showcasing the scientific thinking, abilities and innovative minds of future scientists were displayed in the fair.
Upadhyay said NDMC is committed to fostering education and scientific curiosity among the youth, contributing to the nation’s progress. The fair featured many impressive projects while the replicas of Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan stole the spotlight. Chandrayaan is part of India’s Lunar Exploration programme by the Indian Space and Research Organization (ISRO). Gaganyaan is ISRO’s another space project aimed at demonstrating human spaceflight capabilities.
Students of Class XI and Class XII of Navyug School, Sarojini Nagar, presented a project demonstrating an alcohol detection engine locking system. The innovative project used coding to automatically lock the engine if the driver attempted to start the car while being intoxicated. It also detected alcohol levels while driving, automatically stopping the car and alerting nearby vehicles.
Other noteworthy projects included a DIV Arduino Voice Controlled Robot by Class VIII students of AAV, Kidwai Nagar, and a super speciality hospital on wheels for plants by Class XII students from Navyug School, Mandir Marg. The latter featured various sensors to monitor soil moisture, wind pressure around plants and the overall health of the plants. Younger students from Navyug School showcased a waste segregation project, utilising sensors to ensure proper disposal of dry and wet waste, with an automatic compost pit door for efficient waste management.
National Science Centre participated with 13 portable exhibits
National Science Centre, Delhi participated with thirteen portable science exhibits on basic scientific concept to demonstrate to students. Students interacted with the exhibits and learnt basic mathematical concept of Pythagoras theorem, area of circle and value of pi. They also learnt the Indian philosophical science and derivation of different mathematical formulas using mythological story. The exhibit brahma’s disc explained the evolution of mathematical formulas in ancient India. Exhibits on physics explained the concept of Vortes, sympathetic swing, visualizing sound sparks the scientific inquiry in students. The exhibition was supported by Live Science Demonstration – Super Cooled show where student learnt how thing behave in extreme low temperature. They enjoyed the contraction of air filed balloon when placed inside liquid nitrogen and again it get expand when take out from liquid nitrogen. Education officer Rakesh Tripathi said that students gathered these scientific memories and went home with inquiry and discovery.