State level INSPIRE exhibition cum project competition held

FIVE STUDENTS SELECTED TO REPRESENT STATE AT NATIONAL LEVEL
GANGTOK, 11 Oct: The Sikkim State Council of Science & Technology organized the State Level ‘Innovation of Science Pursuit for Inspire Research’ (INSPIRE) award exhibition on 09 October, 2012 at Sikkim Science Centre, Marchak.
As per a press release, a total of 487 students were awarded INSPIRE Warrant amounting to Rs. 5000 for each student. Out of 487 awardees from all over the state, 407 awardees participated in the District Level Exhibition at SIRD Karfectar, Sikkim Science Centre, Marchak and Modern Secondary School, Gangtok.
47 participants were selected to participate in the State Level Exhibition cum Project competition. Finally five awardees have been selected out of the total 407 projects to represent the state at the National Level Exhibition cum Project Competition to be held during October 21-23, 2012¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ in Delhi.
The programme had Principal Research Officer, Forest Environment & Wildlife Management Department, Usha Lachungpa as the chief guest. While inaugurating the programme, she spoke on the importance of this national programme of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India for providing the right platform for children to showcase their innovation and creative skills in the field of science.
She said that the students who have availed of the INSPIRE scholarship should take advantage of the opportunity and represent the state at national level.
It may be recalled the Sikkim bagged two national awards in the First National Level INSPIRE Exhibition where the students received the award from the then President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil in New Delhi at the national function.    
The other judges also commented on the significance of the programme. They informed that the main objective of the programme is to inculcate scientific temperament among the students community and to attract more students to study basic sciences and take up research in the future.
They said that the main reason why we should take active role in such initiatives is because there is a brain drain among the bright students to take up other streams and give lesser preference to basic sciences and research.
The chief guest along with other judges visited the stalls after the inaugural programme where forty projects brought from all over the state were on display to be judged by the jury members. The jury members comprised of Dr. Khusre [Central Agriculture University], Dr.B.C Basistha [Addl. Director, Science & Technology], D.T Bhutia [Addl. Director, Science & Technology], P. Shah [Dy. Director, HRDD], and Usha Lachungpa [Principal Research Officer, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department].
After meticulously judging the result was declared in the afternoon of 09 October. The candidates selected to represent the state at the National Level Exhibition cum Project competition are Sandeep Gurung [Tingmoo Sec. School, South Sikkim], Kunja Gurung [Yangsum Sec.School ], Pranita Subba [Yangang Sr. Sec. School, South Sikkim], Biki Sharma [Govt. Sr Sec.School, Tadong, East Sikkim] and      Mikma Lhamu Lachenpa [Mangan Sr.Sec. School, North Sikkim].
The Secretary, Science & Technology and Climate Change has congratulated all the winners of INSPIRE State Level Exhibition cum Competition and has wished them good luck for the National Level Competition.

Further, all schools including Government schools, Public Schools, Private Schools, JNVs, Central Schools, Army Schools have been requested to send two nominations of students for the year 2012-13 from class VIII and IX immediately so that the students do not lose the opportunity of INSPIRE award and national level exposure.
The nominations can be directly given to Science & Technology Department or through HRDD Nodal Officer, P S Shah. Details of criteria of nomination can be seen in the website http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in/

The INSPIRE Programme is a centrally funded flagship programme of the Govt. of India which is being implemented through state Governments and UT administrations. The objective of this programme is to develop scientific temper amongst the young and to motivate them to take up scientific carriers for the scientific and technological advancement of the country.
This programme has five components covering entire range of education and research from class VI to post doctoral stage of a student. The first component of this programme is INSPIRE Award which recognizes the talents among students at a very early stage. Each INSPIRE Awardee will receive a onetime award of Rs.5000 in his/her school career and with this money the awardee is required to make a project / model which will subsequently be displayed at the exhibition organized at various level viz: district level, state level and finally national level.
Additional proposal for INSPIRE scholarship to cover all schools within the state during 2012-13 is under way. All schools including government, private & public schools, central & JNV schools above Class VI are eligible to apply for the scholarship.