National Science Day activities for IGNOU learners at Nagpur

National Science Day (28.02.2012) is celebrated across the country especially in all Colleges and Schools, to inculcate scientific temper among students. We made an attempt at Nagpur to extend the same spirit to our students also, who are in general isolated and lacking such exposures from Institutional side.

For this, two groups of our students are identified as follows:

1. BSc and PGDAC students
2. Student Prisoners in Central Jail, Nagpur
The activities were held in collaboration (and sponsored by) Indian
Science Congress Association (ISCA), Nagpur Chapter.

“VIGYAN SPANDAN – SCIENCE QUIZ” COMPETITION FOR PRISONERS

We have student prisoners in the Central Jail, Nagpur who are pursuing BPP, BA, MA and Vocational Certificate Courses. Looking into the dispersed background of the prisoners, it is planned to conduct a Science Quiz Contest. The questions were prepared in Marathi and they are carefully selected in such a way that they range from newspapers based to 10th standard science questions. Some typical questions like : What is the pollution gas emitted by vehicles, chemical formula of water etc. There is over whelming response from the prisoners and No question was left un answered. Total 53 Prisoners participated with high enthusiasm. Prof. Vikas Sapkal, RTM Nagpur University distributed the certificate and Science Popular Science Book in Marathi. He also gave a Popular Science talk to the gathering. On this occasion, ISCA, Nagpur Chapter also donated few science books for the central jail library.

Science Quest-Open House for IGNOU Science learners : We have around 160 learners of BSC and PGDAC under this Regional Centre. So we organized “science quest-open house”. We informed all the learners through SMS and phone call to participate in the event and speak on any science topic ( that’s why named as “ Open House”), in which they are interested. A panel of three judges consisting of senior teachers of Institute of Science was constituted to Judge. They were given the marking scheme for judging the best presentation. Students were given 3 - 5 minutes for each presentation. The topics chosen by students included: “Science – A Boon or Bane, Pesticides, etc. The students spoke in English, Hindi and Marathi. One student came from Akola ( around 250 Km from Nagpur) for participating in this event. In the second part of the event Prof. G.S. Natarajan, Former Director, LIT, Nagpur was the Chief Guest. He distributed the certificate and popular science books to the prize winners and participants. He advised the students to develop scientific temper. Dr. M.T. Bharambhe, Director of Institute of Science, Nagpur in his inaugural address said that the Nobel Laureate C.V.Raman started his scientific quest from this Institute of Science physics laboratories when he was associated with A G Office in Nagpur. Shri Nagaraj, Convenor Nagpur Chapter listed the activities of the ISCA. Dr. Sivaswaroop, RD explained objectives of this programme and encouraged the students to become student members of ISCA. The membership application forms were provided. Dr. (Mrs) Rashmi Batra, Programme In-Charge of PGDAC, PSC, has conducted the programme.

Students (both prisoners and Institute of Science) have been so motivated that they requested IGNOU to conduct many such programmes.