235 students shortlisted for NASA-ISRO tour final round

Pune Zilla Parishad has shortlisted 235 students for interviews, aiming to select 75 for a transformative visit to ISRO and NASA, promoting space science.

Pune: Pune Zilla Parishad has selected 235 students from government-run schools for the final stage of the initiative to visit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) centres.

Karad: Students from HKD Anglo Urdu High School observe a two minute silence to pay tribute to the CRPF martyrs of Thursday's Pulwama terror attack, in Karad, Maharashtra, Friday, Feb 15, 2019. (PTI Photo) (PTI2_15_2019_000139B) (PTI)

Of 16,121 applications received from students in Classes 6 to 8, 13,671 appeared for the first written exam, 1,571 students took the second online test before 235 qualified for the final stage, which is interviews conducted at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune. From this group, 75 students will be chosen for the international exposure visit.

According to Gajanan Patil, Pune Zilla Parishad CEO, the initiative is not just a study tour, but a transformative educational opportunity aimed at developing scientific thinking and igniting a passion for space science among rural students.