National Children’s Science Congress starts today

The 17th National Children's Science Congress 2009 is set to begin in the Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The venue will see a convergence of around 800 child-scientists from across the country and 50,000 students from the state. The five-day national academic event will conclude on December 31.

National Children's Science Congress is initiated by the National Council of Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) which functions under the Department of Science and Technology of the GoI.

Premier science institutions will participate in the National Science Congress being held in Gujarat for the first time since its inception in 1993.

During the programme, eminent scientists from across the country will hold interaction sessions with child-scientists and orientation programmes for teachers. It will also include technical sessions, science exhibitions and theme presentations by premier institutions, poster presentations and cultural programmes.

"It took seven months for the Department of Science and Technology (Gujarat) to rope in the premier institutes and scientists. Also, the 800 participating child-scientists were selected from among 8 lakh students from across the country competing at the district levels before being short-listed," said Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (Gujarat), Ravi Saxena, who is also the convener of the Science Congress.

The Physical Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad), Institute of Plasma Research (Gandhinagar), Indian Space Research Organisation (Ahmedabad), GEER foundation Gandhinagar, Indian Meteorological Department (Gujarat), Vigyan Prasad (Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India), Education and Awareness Department of the Indian Air Force , National Institute of Occupational Health (Ahmedabad), Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geo-Informatics (Gujarat), National Innovation Foundation (Ahmedabad) and UNICEF are among the participating institutes.

Professor Yash Pal (president of NCSTC network), N K Sehgal (former advisor of NCSTC), Janki Ranjan (Jamia Millia Islamia University) and Saroj Ghosh (the creator of science museums at Gujarat Science City and Kokata Science City) are among the scientists who will interact with the students at the event.

ALSO READ

ISRO centre in state to give thrust to India’s maiden mission to Mars

SC steps in, HC revokes transfer of magistrate hearing Zakia plea

Nine city cops booked for ‘custodial death’

HC raps Narendra Modi govt for 'shielding' accused cops