Telangana: Jignyasa, science lab on wheels turns boon for rural students, teachers

Jignyasa, a mobile science laboratory, provided by the District Science Centre (DSC) in 2020, is playing a vital role in creating awareness over science among the students and teachers from rural parts.

Mancherial: Science laboratories are stationary and confined to educational institutions. However, Jignyasa, a mobile science laboratory, provided by the District Science Centre (DSC) in 2020, is playing a vital role in creating awareness over science among the students and teachers from rural parts.

“The mobile laboratory was created with an aim to develop scientific temper and to stimulate the thinking of under-privileged students and teachers from rural parts by making science education and experiments accessible to government schools. With the advent of the facility, students are becoming innovators,” District Science Officer S Madhu Babu told ‘Telangana Today.’

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The science laboratory on wheels was created at an estimated cost of Rs 50 lakh granted by District Mineral Fund Trust (DMFT). The laboratory has equipment meant for raising students’ understanding of solar and lunar eclipse, celestial events, organs in the human body, various birds, and fruits and many other scientific wonders. It allows forty students to practice a wide-range of science experiments at a time.

Evidently, the moving science laboratory has benefited 17,090 students and 892 teachers from 233 schools across the district so far. It is reaching about 40 schools per month. It is bringing science to the doorsteps of the students studying between Class VI and X. It is helping the students to prove their mettle in innovation by imparting science knowledge and igniting curiosity in science.

Five students shined in national-level events by showcasing thought-provoking models. K Naveen Kumar won an award for the seventh National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC) held by the Department of Science and Technology in 2019, while Jummidi Anjanna, Swarnalatha and Sailu Sai Shrivalli clinched the award in 2020 and 2021. Similarly, Maniprasad achieved the award in 2022, bringing recognition to both Telangana and the district as well.

Meanwhile, the DSC covered 8,471 students and 500 teachers belonging to 127 schools since its inception.A total of 831 students were selected for the INSPIRE Awards-Manak Scheme from 2017 to 2023.  They received a cash award of Rs 10,000 each under the initiative. A team of students from ZPSS Velganuru student team stood in the top fourth place and got a cash prize of Rs 1.50 lakh from Telangana in 2022.