Dr. Jitendra Singh Backs Youth with 3A Vision

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the transformative potential of India’s youth and proposed deeper engagement through awareness, aptitude, and avenues under the CSIR Jigyasa “One Day as a Scientist” programme to foster a scientific temper and innovation-driven future.

Highlights:

• Minister urges 3 “A”s: Awareness, Aptitude, Avenue to shape young minds.
• Proposed initiatives: Parent participation, “One Day as a Teacher”, and industry mentorship.
• Over 14,000 students participated in ODAS across 37 CSIR labs.
• EPIC Hackathon winners showcased innovations in energy, assistive tech, IoT, and sustainability.
• Jigyasa programme aligned with NEP 2020, reaching 13.5 lakh students so far.

Hailing the “aspirational surge” among India’s youth, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh called for a strategic framework built on Awareness, Aptitude, and Avenue to support and nurture young scientific minds. Speaking at the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) during celebrations of the CSIR Jigyasa programme’s One Day as a Scientist (ODAS) week, the Minister highlighted the need to translate scientific enthusiasm into lifelong innovation.

Dr. Singh suggested several refinements to the Jigyasa model:

Parent Participation: Invite at least one parent per student in ODAS to build familial understanding of scientific exploration.

“One Day as a Teacher”: CSIR scientists to visit schools of participating students, especially in rural areas, to validate and amplify student achievements.

Industry Mentorship: Encourage corporate partners to adopt students or projects and provide financial and expert support.

Longitudinal Tracking: Monitor student outcomes to realign and enhance future initiatives with evolving aspirations.

He shared inspiring stories from his interactions, including an eighth-grade girl from Dholpur advocating for her younger sister’s participation—proof of the growing hunger for opportunity among India’s children.

The event also honoured the winners of EPIC Hackathon 2024, showcasing remarkable innovations by talented students.

• Japteg Bamrah (Pathankot): SolarMech—a Stirling engine-based, solar-powered combined heat and power generator.
• Uddhav Gupta & Udbhav Bandhani (Ghaziabad): Drishyamitram—a smart, sensor-based walkway system for the visually impaired.
• Shreya Vinod (Roorkee): Thermoelectric generator utilizing AC waste heat for clean electricity.
• Soyal Parija (Bhubaneswar): I-Stetho—a wireless digital stethoscope integrating IoT for safe and remote auscultation.

“These students are not just experimenting—they are innovating with confidence and clarity,” Dr. Singh remarked, urging public and private stakeholders to ensure these innovations translate into real-world impact.

Since its launch in 2017, Jigyasa has grown into one of India’s most far-reaching scientific outreach programmes, touching over 13.5 lakh students and 80,000 teachers through 3,500+ activities including lab visits, virtual experiments, and innovation competitions.

Dr. Singh praised the New Education Policy 2020 for aligning with such initiatives by enabling subject flexibility and nurturing curiosity. “Earlier, choices were forced. Now students can evolve with their interests—and Jigyasa gives them the platform to do so,” he noted.

As India approaches its 100th year of independence in 2047, the Minister concluded with a stirring message: “Stay curious, stay bold, and never stop asking questions—because in every question lies the seed of discovery.”

The event was graced by senior CSIR leaders including Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam, Prof. Venu Gopal Achanta, and Dr. D. Shailaja Donempudi, alongside an enthusiastic gathering of students and scientists.