Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has felicitated winners of National Science Talent Exam of the Year 2016-17 in New Delhi on Wednesday, which is slowly emerging as India equivalent of US Intel Science Awards. The winners were given away mementoes and certificates by the Minister.
Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) in association with Vigyan Prasar – an autonomous institution under Department of Science & Technology and National Council of Education and Research Training (NCERT) – Ministry of Human Resource Development has organized the National Science Talent Search for Future India Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) across the country.
More than 1.4 lakh students from 1,472 schools from all the 29 states and 5 union territories from class VI-XI participated in the exam and 2,400 students were declared as state level winners. Through 20 camps, 264 students were selected as National level winners.
These 264 students have undergone a two-day national camp at IIT Delhi, under an academic committee of eminent scientists and selected 18 students as national science talents of the year named as HIMALAYANS.
“One of the major objectives of the programme is to evolve student’s more affinity towards science and encourage them to take science as their future career,” said a statement of the ministry. VIBHA published two books — Biography of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Indian contributions to Science from Tradition to Modern — as the study material for the enrolled students of Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan.
The Minister has asked the students to pursue their passion. “Unless we don’t follow our passion, we don’t reach the destination we want in life.” The traits of talent, dedication, determination to work hard and discipline are the key to the success, he noted. He also congratulated the parents of the students and asked them to motivate their children for their bright future.