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Theoretical base of Physical science education
EDU
09 : Theoretical base of Physical science education II
ASSIGNMENT
TOPIC
GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL MOVEMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR
POPULARIZING SCIENCE – SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH PROGRAMME, SCIENCE OLYMPIAD, KVPY,
SASTHRAPOSHINI SCHEME
Submitted
on Submitted by
29-05-2014 Anithakumari.K
Roll No: 179
KUCTE, Aryad
INTRODUCTION
India has an impressive scientific heritage.
Scientific research — in fields such as mathematics, astronomy, medicine and
material science — has been carried out in the Indian sub-continent since
ancient times. Early
efforts in pre-independent India were made by educators, teachers and science workers. Srirampur College established in Bengal in 1818
probably initiated first public demonstration of modern science in India through public lectures accompanied by experimental
demonstrations by its teachers. Mobilization for science popularization then took
institutional forms as number of notable organizations came into existence as a
result of the mobilizations for science popularization.
The Dawn Society, Kolkata; the Punjab Science Institute, Lahore;
and Vigyan Parishad Prayag, Allahabad; Orissa Bigyan Prachar Samiti, Cuttack;
and later on Marathi Vidyan Parishad, Mumbai; etc are examples of such
institutions.
Popularizing science
includes all activities that communicate scientific knowledge and scientific
methods to the public, outside the formal setting of classrooms. It encompasses
museums, shows and fairs and work to promote public understanding of the
history of science. To date, sixty-five individuals, from twenty-four countries
have received this award. Six of whom have also been Nobel-Prize winners. After Independence, a number of government
agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) took their cue from the
constitution and became involved in science popularization. In this way,
science communication was taken up at various levels, institutional as well as
individual. Nehru was a major force behind this advancement of science in
independent India. Science and technology
policies of the government reflected Nehru’s vision.
NATIONAL
SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH PROGRAMME
SCIENCE Talent Search Examination
National
science talent search programme (NTSE) has been started by the N.C.E.R.T, New
Delhi since 1963. NTSE is a national-level scholarship program in India to identify and recognize
students with high intellect and academic talent. It is one of the most
prestigious exams in India. Close to 1,500,000 students appear in
this scholarship exam every year, and 1,000 scholarships are awarded. The
scheme is open to students of Indian nationality. Only students studying in Class X are eligible to appear
for the selection process. As it is organized by an official body (NCERT), it is widely regarded by
the Government of India as the toughest and most
prestigious examination at high school level in the
country.
In 1964, the scheme was extended to all
the states
and the union territories in
the country with 350 scholarships for the students of Class XI. Those
scholarships were awarded on the basis of a written examination, a project
report and an interview. The written examination comprised the Science Aptitude
Test and an essay on a given scientific theme. The candidates were to submit
the project report at the time of the written examination. A stipulated number
of candidates selected on the basis of those three components were then subjected
to personal interviews. The performance of the candidates on those four
components was eventually employed for the purpose of awarding scholarships.
Those scholarships were awarded for pursuing education only in basic sciences
up to doctoral level.
National
science talent search programme (NTSE) has been started by the N.C.E.R.T, New
Delhi since 1963. NTSE is a national-level scholarship program in India to identify and recognize
students with high intellect and academic talent. It is one of the most
prestigious exams in India. Close to 1,500,000 students appear in
this scholarship exam every year, and 1,000 scholarships are awarded. The
scheme is open to students of Indian nationality. Only students studying in Class X are eligible to appear
for the selection process. As it is organized by an official body (NCERT), it is widely regarded by
the Government of India as the toughest and most
prestigious examination at high school level in the
country.
In 1964, the scheme
was extended to all the states
and the union territories in
the country with 350 scholarships for the students of Class XI. Those
scholarships were awarded on the basis of a written examination, a project
report and an interview. The written examination comprised the Science Aptitude
Test and an essay on a given scientific theme. The candidates were to submit
the project report at the time of the written examination. A stipulated number
of candidates selected on the basis of those three components were then
subjected to personal interviews. The performance of the candidates on those
four components was eventually employed for the purpose of awarding
scholarships. Those scholarships were awarded for pursuing education only in
basic sciences up to doctoral level.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, and high school team competition in which students
compete in 'events' pertaining to various scientific disciplines, including earth science,
biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Over 6,700 teams from 50 U.S.
states compete each year. There
are three levels of competition: regional, state, and national. In addition,
some states or private groups offer 'invitational' tournaments which serve as
practice for regional and state competitions. Teams
which excel at the regional competitions advance to the state, and then to the
national level. Winners later receive several kinds of awards from ribbons to
trophies .Science Olympiad is not in any way associated with the International Science Olympiads, which follows a completely different
format and set of rules. The first recorded
Science Olympiad was held on Saturday, November 23, 1974 at St.Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Dr. Donald Barnes
and Dr. David Wetmore were the originators of this event. Fifteen schools from
North and South Carolina participated in this event. It was a day-long affair,
with competitions and demonstrations for high school students in the areas of
biology, chemistry, and physics.
Events
Students compete in
twenty-three main events, which usually occur on a single day; done by a team
of limited numbers. Events fall under three main categories: Science Concepts
and Knowledge, Science Processes and Thinking Skills, and Science Application
and Technology. They are either knowledge-based (for example, written tests
on earth science, physics, astronomy, or biology), hands-on (for example, chemistry lab practicals), or engineering-based (participants
construct a device to do specified tasks).
Knowledge-based
events generally have two participants either taking a test or mathematically
analyzing data. Examples of such events are Designer Genes, Forensics, and
Chemistry Lab. Hands-on events generally consist of two participants performing
experiments or interacting with physical objects to achieve a certain goal.
Some examples are Bio-Process lab, Forensics, or Science Crimebusters.
Engineering-based events have a team of two to three participants. They are to
construct a device following a specific event's parameters and test the device
against others. Examples include Robo-Cross, Bridge/Tower Building, and Storm
The Castle.
The majority of
events require two team members, though a few require more. If one member is
unable to attend an event, the other is able to continue, depending on the
event, with the competition, though at an obvious disadvantage.
If the team has one available, a back-up team member may be placed with the
member as opposed to their former partner.
Science Olympiad
is most often run as an after-school extracurricular
activity, but some
schools offer Science Olympiad classes that allow students to receive academic
credit for participation. A teacher, parent, or student (usually a volunteer) coordinates the team in practice and preparation for
the competition. Often there are others who coach
individual events as well. A team can consist of up to 15 students and any amount of alternates; some states allow more
students per team. At the middle school level at nationals, only five ninth graders are
allowed to compete on one team; at the high school level, only seven twelfth graders are allowed per
team. However, for state competitions, the rules may often be different. Home school groups may also form teams to compete.
Teams are hosted by the school from which the participants attend. Science
Olympiad is most often run as an after-school extracurricular activity, but some schools offer Science
Olympiad classes that allow students to receive academic credit for
participation. The winner of the competition is
determined by each team's overall score. Each school is ranked in every
event based on that event's rules. The team's overall score is then calculated
by adding together the rank of the school in all events.
Kishore
Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY)
The Kishore
Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is an on-going National Program of
Fellowships in Basic Sciences, initiated and funded by the Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India, to attract exceptionally and
highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research
career in science.
The objectives
of the program are to identify students with talent and aptitude for research;
help them realize their potential in their studies; encourage them to take up
research careers in Science, and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds
for research and development in the country. The advertisement for the KVPY
Fellowship appears in all the national dailies normally on the Technology Day
(May 11) and the Second Sunday of July every year.
The selection of
students is made from those studying in XI standard to 1st year in any
undergraduate Program in Basic Sciences namely B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int.
M.Sc./M.S. in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology having aptitude for
scientific research. Special groups / committees are set up at IISc, to screen
the applications and conduct an aptitude test at various centres in the
country. Based on the performance in the aptitude test, short-listed students
are called for an interview which is the final stage of the selection
procedure. For receiving a fellowship, both aptitude test and interview marks
are considered.
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is a scholarship program funded by the Department
of Science and Technology of
the Government of India, aimed at encouraging students to
take up research careers in the areas of basic sciences, engineering and
medicine. It offers scholarship and contingency grants up to the pre-Ph.D.
level to selected students. Started in 1999, it is administered by the Indian Institute of
Science. The Kishore
Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is an on-going National Program of
Fellowships in Basic Sciences, initiated and funded by the Department
of Science and Technology,
Government of India, to attract exceptionally and highly motivated students for
pursuing basic science courses and research career in science.
The objectives of the
program are to identify students with talent and aptitude for research; help
them realize their potential in their studies; encourage them to take up
research careers in Science, and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds
for research and development in the country.
The advertisement for
the KVPY Fellowship appears in all the national dailies normally on the Technology
Day (May 11) and the Second Sunday
of July every year.
The selection of
students is made from those studying in XI standard to 1st year in any
undergraduate Program in Basic Sciences namely B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int.
M.Sc./M.S. in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology having aptitude for scientific research. Special
groups / committees are set up at IISc, to screen the applications and conduct
an aptitude test at various centres in the country. Based on the performance in
the aptitude test, short-listed students are called for an interview which is
the final stage of the selection procedure. For receiving a fellowship, both
aptitude test and interview marks are considered.
The merit list is
based on 75% weight-age for Aptitude Test marks and 25% weight-age for the
interview marks in the streams SA, SB and SX. SA can be written by students
studying in class 11. SX can be written by students studying in class 12. In
year 2014, 1200 students qualified for KVPY scholarship out of about one lakh
students who appeared for the examination.
The Kerala State
Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) ( Sasthraposhini)
The Kerala
State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) was constituted
in November 2002 as an autonomous body to encourage and promote Science and
Technology related activities in the Kerala State by restructuring the
erstwhile State Committee for Science, Technology and Environment (STEC)
established in 1972 in concurrence with the Science Policy of Government of
India. The apex body of KSCSTE is the State Council with Chief Minister of
Kerala as the President. The chief executive officer of the Council is
Executive Vice President (EVP).
The
Main functions of the State Council are to:
·
Plan,
formulate and implement Science and Technology Promotion and other related
research and development programmes.
·
Provide
overall guidance to the programmes and the developments of R&D centres of
the Council.
·
Withdraw
and disburse the grant-in-aid funds from the Government and sponsoring agencies
to R&D Centres and other grant-in-aid institutions.
The decisions
of the State Council and Executive Committee are implemented by the Council
Headquarters (CHQ) based in Thiruvananthapuram. The functions of CHQ are
carried out under the overall guidance of Executive Vice President who is also
the ex-officio Principal Secretary of Science &Technology Department
(S&TD). The executive functions are administered by the Member Secretary.
The Science and Technology programmes are managed by the Principal Scientific
Officers, Scientific Officers and other staff members, both technical as well
as administrative.
There are eight
Institutions under the ambit of KSCSTE which undetakes research work in
specific identified domains. The
Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) was
established by recognizing the need for catering to the R&D needs in the
field of water management. The
Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) is established to undertake
research in areas like forestry, biodiversity etc., that are vital to the
development of the Kerala State. National
Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) is undertaking
research and consultancy works in the fields of traffic engineering and
transportation planning, highway engineering, public transport system, inland
water transport, tourism planning, rural roads, environmental impact assessment
and transport energy. Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden
and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) is established with the vision of
Conservation and sustainable utilization of the plant biodiversity of India,
particularly of Kerala for the well being of her people. The Kerala School of Mathematics (KSoM)
has been setup as a joint venture of KSCSTE and National Board of Higher
Mathematics, under Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. The main
objective of the institute is to promote Mathematical research in the country
and particularly in Kerala.
HISTORY
The idea of
utilizing science & technology with a wider reach to achieve faster development
in the country necessitated the establishment of S&T institutions at the
State level. Kerala is the first State in the country which created a State
Committee on Science & Technology headed by a scientist/technologist, as
Chairman. The Separate Department for Science Technology and Environment was
created in 1987. A technical secretariat was also established. With the
creation of the department and technical secretariat, the State Committee on
Science Technology and Environment (STEC) could expand its activities in
diverse fields and impart S&T inputs to line departments for solving their
problems. Over the years, the R&D centers under STEC umbrella have built up
an impressive record of achievements to create a suitable research environment in
Kerala.
The
Advancement in Science and Technology coupled with liberalization of the
economy and progressive globalization has brought in new challenger to the
Science & Technology sector. To cope with the emerging scenario, the Government
of Kerala took a timely and pro-active step to replacing State Committee on
Science Technology and Environment by Kerala State Council for Science
Technology & Environment. The council came in to existence on 21st November 2002 as a
registered society under the Travancore – Cochin Literary scientific and
Charitable Societies Registration Act 1955. The R&D Institutes namely
Centre for Earth Science Studies, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology,
Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Centre for Water Resource
Development and Management, National Transport Planning and Research Centre and
Kerala Forest Research Institute were amalgamated fully with KSCSTE for their
integrated development.
CONCLUSIONS
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of
testable explanations and predictions about the universe. The popularization of
science and technology is intended to to provide broad sectors of the
population with the challenge and satisfaction of understanding the universe in
which we live and, above all, being able to imagine and build possible new
worlds. Today there are societies that produce knowledge, and those that
are essentially consumers of it; there are societies that progress, build and
create, and others that passively contemplate such progress, with little chance
of understanding and adapting to the changes that progress implies.
Governmental and nongovernmental movements and organizations play an important
role for popularizing science.
REFERENCES
1. Prof.
David Layton; “Innovations in science and technology education”, Sterling
publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1989.
2. T.K
Mathew, T.M Mollykkutty; “Science education”, Rainbow publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
Kottayam ,2011.
3. Kishore
Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) - Scholarships for students interested in
science as a career. kvpy.org.in.
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