Udalguri district administration’s unique plan to popularize science among children.

Udalguri(India) district administration’s unique plan to popularize science among children.


In order to popularize science and technology among people of the district ,particularly among the students and children, Udalguri district administration has taken up a few unique schemes like arrangement of district level science meet; tracking in the Khalingduar Reserve Forest, introduction of district level excellence award for child scientists and display of best science models on Republic Day and Independence Day programmes at Udalguri every year. Talking to this correspondent Dr.S.S. Meenakshi Sundaram, Deputy Commissioner of the district said on December 22nd that the new schemes and awards would motivate students and children of the district to take interest in science and technology. He said that Udalguri district administration had been giving excellence awards to distinguished persons in the field of public service, public administration and public security since 2008, twice in a year ie on Independence Day and Republic Day. He said that another fourth category of excellence award for child scientists would be added to the existing scheme from 2010.The excellence award for child scientists would be awarded to the child of the district who would show excellence in the state or national level science competitions in the field of science, technology and conservation of nature and wildlife. According to the Deputy Commissioner ,a selection committee had been formed with DC Udalguri as the chairman; Indra Kalita SDO (S) Udalguri as Executive Chairman; Bhakta Chetri, Principal, Ramswarup Agarwalla Memorial English School as the Vice Chairman; Jayanta Kumar Das,District Coordinator NCSC Udalguri as member secretary; Nitu Deka (teacher) and Rabindra Rava (journalist) as members. The DC also said that district administration would sponsor a tracking expedition to Jalimukh in Khalingduar Reserve Forest,an enchanting place at the source of Nonoi river on Indi-Bhutan international border in January 2010, in association with forest, SSB and police .He further said that five students from each of the six development blocks of the district namely –Kalaigaon, Udalguri, Mazbat, Bhergaon,Khoirabari and Rowta would be selected on the basis of their performances in respective fields to take part in the tracking.

Another meeting of the district coordination committee of Aryabhatta Science Centres of the district was held at DC’s conference hall on December 22nd at 11 pm to discuss arrangement of the district level competitions on science based model, extempore speech and poster drawing competition. The meeting which was presided over by Mihir Barua, ADC Udalguri and Nodal Officer of the competition decided to arrange the district level science meet on January 28 2010 at Ramswarup A.M.E. School with day long programme. The meeting also decided to invite Dr.S.K.Choudhuri, Director of ASTEC, Guwahati to attend the programme as the chief guest. The meeting was attended by all the developmental block level coordinators of Aryabhatta Science Centres and District Education Officer Udalguri. The first and second position holders would participate in the state level competition to be held in the month of February or March 2010.