State to Send 51 Students to NASA Annually Under New 'Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Vidnyan Wari' Scheme

The School Education Department has been organising science exhibitions in the state for the past several years. Now the very nature of science exhibitions is going to change. The 'Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Vidnyan Wari' scheme is being finalised, and under this scheme, 51 students from the state will get the opportunity to visit NASA every year.

Science exhibitions have been organised in the state for the past several years to foster a scientific outlook among students at the school level. For the first time, a science exhibition is organised at the taluka level. The experiments selected in it get a chance to participate in the district level exhibition, and the experiments selected at the district level get a chance to present at the state level science exhibition.

Till now, the first prize winner at the state level was given a prize of only INR 5,000 and the second and third prize winners were given INR 2,500. Now, the first prize winner will be given a prize of INR 51,000. Also, the state government will provide the first 51 students out of the total number of participating students who have submitted their applications at the state level with the opportunity to visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States.

The first 21 students to participate in the taluka-level exhibition will get the opportunity to visit the nearest science center. The first 51 students to participate in the district-level exhibition will get the opportunity to visit the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The cost of visiting NASA for 55 people, including 51 students and four teachers, is expected to be around INR 3 crore. The School Education Department will also provide for the expenses incurred for visiting ISRO and science centres.

Children studying in Zilla Parishad schools should develop a scientific attitude. An appreciation for science and mathematics should be instilled. The main objective of the Chief Minister's Vidyarthi Vidnyan Wari is to strengthen the foundation of students, give scope to their innovations and develop them as scientists in the future.