‘Govt schemes to help students practise what they have learned here’
LUCKNOW: It was heartening to see students from rural and urban India enjoying the spirit of science during the four-day India International Science Festival (IIFS) 2018, said Dr Renu Swarup, secretary, department of biotechnology. HT spoke to Swarup about how this initiative would usher a change in developing students’ interest towards science.
Excerpts of the interaction:
It is good to see rural students interacting with scientists at IISF. What will happen when they go back to schools where there is no lab or infrastructure? Where will they continue these experiments?
Scientists are encouraging students to continue practising what they learn here at IISF 2018. The students were asked to tell 10 more students about what they learned here during their four-day stay. The government of India’s scheme of Digital India will ensure students enjoy easy access to the internet in school. There are government scheme called Atal Tinkering Labs that are innovation play/work spaces for students, simulating innovations combining science and technology. These open-ended innovation work spaces are equipped with state-of-the art technologies to enable students to learn and solve local community problems using emerging technologies.
Science and engineering students have brought their prototype models to IISF. Will they be picked and translated into viable, workable models?
The prototype models which have potential will be adopted. They will be picked up only after some refinement. I am sure our scientists will take a look at some prototype models that can be converted into workable solutions. To make the model industry viable, the research and development team needs to work on it to make the prototype a viable product.
Most scientific institutes do a lot of research work. But seldom do they patent their product. Why?
We have been encouraging innovators and inventors to patent their product. But somehow, it is not happening. Hopefully, events like the IISF will give a muchneeded impetus to researchers to get their products patented.
Students of metros and big cities are getting exposure to science and technology. Students of the NorthEastern parts of the country are not that fortunate. What is your take?
I agree with you to an extent. But yesterday, science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan has announced that the next IISF will be held in eastern India so that we may reach out to students living in that part of the country. NE is certainly our focus area.
List the achievements of IISF 2018.
It is not every day that students get to meet and interact with so many scientists. I was told that 12,000 delegates including 6,500 students have come from different parts of the country. Imagine the kind of exposure they are getting here. Nav Bharat Nirman, a concept focused on the innovative methods and solutions to overcome India’s historical and social disadvantages along with problems created in the 21st century, saw innovators getting the opportunity to ideate and share the knowledge with others. It also entailed coming up with innovative and creative solutions by exploring the emerging fields of science and technology. All stakeholders have assembled to collectively work towards Vigyan se Vikas - contributing to the making of a new India.