In its Platinum Jubilee celebration year, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has launched a student-scientist connect programme 'JIGYASA' in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathans (KVS); the sole objective of which is extending the classroom leaning and focusing on a well planned research laboratory based learning. The Programme is expected to connect 1151 KVs with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR and will target 100,000 students and nearly 1000 teachers annually. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Human Resource Development graced the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony.
The MoU signing day coincides with the birthday of Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
'JIGYASA' programme was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a new India and "Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR)" of scientific community and institutions,' said Dr Harsh vardhan while addressing the gathering. 'It is a historic day when two ministries are collaborating on the Youth who are the future of the nation,' he further added.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar said that "to inculcate scientific temper among the students we have to make them aware about the impact of science on the society. Science has played a very important role in changing our lives". Thanking Dr Harshvardhan and CSIR, Shri Javadekar further said that access to these premier institutions is only the beginning.
Fur furthering the cause, CSIR will talent hunt among the visiting students and Shri Javadekar stated that he will personally review the status periodically.
The JIGYASA model includes:
- Student Residential Programmes;
- Scientists as Teachers and Teachers as Scientists;
- Lab specific activities / Onsite Experiments;
- Visits of Scientists to Schools/Outreach Programmes;
- Science and Maths Clubs;
- Popular Lecture Series/ demonstration programme at Schools;
- Student Apprenticeship Programmes;
- Science Exhibitions;
- Projects of National Children's Science Congress;
- Teacher Workshops; and
- Tinkering Laboratories
