New Delhi :- The Students Science Village (SSV), one of the prominent events of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 is a four-day residential programme from 17th to 20th January 2024 at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) – Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) joint campus at Faridabad (Haryana). The students from class VIII to class XI are invited from every State and Union Territory of India. The special focus lies on students from aspirational districts, first villages of the international border districts and far-flung regions of the country. The theme of the event is “The future is Science: Inspiring Tomorrow’s Science Leaders.” The sub theme is “Space Exploration: Pioneering Solutions for a Better World.” The event is coordinated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), National Innovation Foundation (NIF) - India, and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA).

The activities of the event will offer students an opportunity to explore scientific concepts and problem solving aptitude for the development of teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills. 1600 students are categorised into 8 groups of 200 students where each group is representing a house named after an eminent Indian scientist. Jagdish Chandra Bose, Srinivasa Ramanujan, CV Raman, Homi Jehangir Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Har Gobind Khorana, M.S. Swaminathan, and APJ Abdul Kalam are the names of such houses. All the programmes are in line with the principles of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, contributing towards nurturing a holistic education. The Student Innovation Exhibition is another special event of student science village where the National Award Winners of the INSPIRE-MANAK Scheme will showcase their innovative technologies in the form of a prototype. Around 20-25 students will be a part of this exhibition.  

The event will provide hands-on experiments, interactive exhibits, and interactions with scientists, technocrats, educators, and innovators. The healthy interactions will enable students to learn by practicing and connecting with the science world. Additionally, the students will be able to watch scientific films, mega science expo, and explore scientific institutes for gaining a better understanding of research and development, cultural exchange, scientific discussions, and quiz competitions. All the activities are planned in a way so that the students are capable of discovering their interests and skills in science, technology, and innovation (STI) and become critical thinkers. This will help in inspiring and will empower the next-generation young scientists and innovators. It will prepare them for New India, an era where India will become a global leader. This is only possible through acquiring logical and rational thinking by adopting science and technology. 

Following are the expected outcomes of the event:

1. To promote scientific literacy, critical thinking and encourage youngsters to pursue career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
2. Enhanced problem solving, improved teamwork, and communication skills.
3. Better understanding of the importance of S&T in nation-building.
4. Inspire to become future leaders in science, technology, and public policy.
5. Networking opportunities with other students, teachers, and scientists.

The Science Media Communication Cell (SMCC) at CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication & Policy Research (NIScPR) is coordinating and facilitating the media publicity of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023. The key objective of the SMCC is to disseminate and showcase R&D breakthroughs and scientific achievements of India on various platforms of media.

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