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Inspire state-level science expo, contest begins tomorrow
Prototype models/projects presented by the students will be evaluated by a jury of scientists and experts
A state-level science exhibition and project competition under the Centre’s Inspire Award Scheme for the years 2023-24 and 2024-25 will be organised here from October 13 to 15. The events will be held under the joint aegis of the Union department of science and technology, National Innovation Foundation-India, and the department of secondary education of Uttar Pradesh.
Mahendra Dev, the director of education (Secondary), said the programmes will be held at Lucknow Public Collegiate, Ruchi Khand-1, Sharda Nagar, Bangla Bazaar Road, in which 129 selected students of the year 2023-24 and 347 of 2024-25 will participate.
Vivek Nautiyal, the joint director of education and state co-nodal officer of the Scheme, said ideas submitted by 1,940 students in the year 2023-24 and 5,834 students in 2024-25 were selected by the Centre’s science department and National Innovation Foundation-India. As an incentive for preparing their project/model, Rs. 10,000 was transferred online to the bank accounts of the concerned students through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme.
Nautiyal said the prototype models/projects presented by the students will be evaluated by a jury of scientists and experts nominated from National Innovation Foundation-India, Department of Engineering and Technology, Dr. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Research Design and Standards Organization-RDSO, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network, National Botanical Research Institute, Department of Physics, Lucknow University etc.
After evaluation by a jury, up to 10% of the best original and innovative prototype models/projects from the participating students will be selected for the Annual National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC).
Nautiyal said 1,000 students shortlisted from the state-level exhibitions held across the country will be provided guidance and funding support of up to ₹20,000 for prototype development to participate in the National Science Exhibition. The jury of the Annual Exhibition and Project Competition will shortlist the top 60 models/projects from across the country, which will be selected for national awards. The top three (3) will receive national awards (gold/silver/bronze medals) and participate in the Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Projects with entrepreneurial/product/process development potential will be supported to pursue commercialisation.
Projects with potential for patent filing will be selected for the National Innovation Competition. Support will be provided by the National Innovation Foundation/Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (NIFAC). Selected students will also be sent to Japan under the Sakura Exchange Program, organized by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
