The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is organising a special programme for school children called “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (YUVIKA) or “Young Scientist Programme” to impart basic knowledge on space technology, space science and space applications to young students, especially for those from rural areas.

The programme is aimed at creating awareness about the emerging trends in science and technology amongst the youngsters, who are the “future building blocks of our nation”, according to the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency.

“The programme aims to select 150 students across the country, who are studying in Class IX as on March 1, 2022 in a school located within the territory of India,” the ISRO said in the announcement.

ISRO said it has chalked out the programme to “catch them young”.

The programme is also expected to encourage more students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based careers and research work, it said.

The YUVIKA-2022 residential programme will run for two weeks from May 16 to May 28. The schedule will include talks, experience-sharing by eminent scientists, experimental demonstration, facility and lab visits, exclusive sessions for discussions with experts, practical and feedback sessions.

The selection of participants will be on the basis of a few parameters, including marks obtained in Class 8 examination, and participation in science fairs (school/district/state and above level) organised by the school/district/ state/Central government authority in the last three years.

The programme is planned to be held at five ISRO centres — Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram; U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru; Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad; National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad and North-East Space Application Centre (NE-SAC), Shillong.

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