Twice each year, the sleepy town of Gangolihat in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand comes alive as hundreds of school students from nearby areas throng the campus of the Himalayan Gram Vikas Samiti (HGVS) to have their scientific curiosities addressed by top scientists from prestigious research institutes. These month-long events have been held annually during April-May and October-November since 2009.

Neither do the students submit any application nor do they pay any fees. Instead, the travel costs of deserving students are covered in addition to the offer of free lodging for all. Some 10,000 students from 140 schools in the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champavat, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh have benefited from the ‘Science Outreach Programme’ led by noted geologist Prof KS Valdiya of the Bengaluru-based Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

“The idea has been to spark interest among rural schoolchildren in pursuing science,” says Rajendra Singh Bisht, Director HGVS, who gave a call to scientists hailing from the region to invest in the younger generation back home. Not only have scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Indian Space Research Organisation, IITs and agricultural universities pledged their time, they have also made individual donations to sustain the initiative.

The outreach programme has grown in leaps and bounds, with teachers and students in the region showing avid interest. Ever since Bharat Ratna Dr CNR Rao joined this bi-annual event in 2011 and made a generous donation towards the lecture auditorium, science interest among the local schoolchildren has grown manifold. It is more than just medleys of lectures by eminent scientists, as participating scholars spend time, even days on end, to interact with students on their perception of science and beyond.

From plate tectonics to biological diversity and from smart architecture to nano science, the topics are rich and diverse. “The overall idea is to generate curiosity among children towards science,” explains Bisht. The topics are decided and circulated in advance, allowing schools to nominate teachers and students for this enriching experience. A limited number of scholarships are on offer for deserving school students who wish to pursue science.

Though anecdotal feedback on the impact of the programme is available, HGVS is now conducting an in-depth assessment to help design the next stage of engagement with the children.

Already, scientists have started visiting schools to popularise the programme. HGVS now plans to improve aptitude towards mathematics among Std VI to VIII students. At a time when money-spinning tuitions are an accepted norm, the science outreach programme remains a notable exception.

The writer is Director, The Eco-logical Foundation, New Delhi

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