Workshops to ignite students' interest in pure sciences

What determines the viscosity of fluids? Do two objects of different masses reach the ground at the same time, when thrown from different places? Do atoms remain the same when water is in different states?

These were some of the numerous questions asked by an enthusiastic bunch of class 11 science students from various Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (Central schools under the Ministry of Human Resource Development) across the State at the Science Orientation Workshop organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) at its campus recently.

If the aim was to ignite the interest of the students about the wonders of nature and the workings of science, the four-day workshop, held between July 13 and 17, hit the right chord with the students.

Designed specifically for the JNV students in Karnataka by the JNCASR, the main objective of the workshop is to attract students towards a career in pure sciences and research.
 Jatinder Kaur, senior technical officer and coordinator at JNCASR, said, “We organise lectures on basic science subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology given by the faculty of JNCASR. The usual trend that is seen among students is their preference for engineering and medicine courses. So we aim to motivate students to take up pure sciences as a career choice by making them aware about the possibilities of such subjects. In fact, Professor C N R Rao has personally taken an interest in this initiative.” This is only the second time that the workshop has been organised for the students. The previous one took place in October 2013.

According to B Venkateswaran, Principal, JNV, Bagalur, who coordinated the efforts of JNVs in attending the workshop, as many as 60 students representing all the 28 JNVs in the State participated in the workshop. 

Varun Nayak from JNV, Mangaluru, got interested in quantum mechanics a few years ago when he started reading articles appearing in various journals on the subject. “I was quite happy to get to hear more on the subject as a lecture was organised on the same here. After class 12, I do want to study more about quantum mechanics; however, it will be a difficult decision if I get into an IIT,” he said.

Another student, Srinivas S N from JNV, Tumakuru, has great interest in genetics. “There was a lecture in subjects such as gene editing and gene therapy that was really interesting.” However when asked if he will pursue his interest in genetics after class 12, he said, “I am interested in genetics, but at the same time want to study medicine. However, the two are not too far apart and I could pursue both my interests if I choose the latter.”

The students aside, the workshop was a learning curve even for the JNV teachers and principals. Rekha Ashok, a physics teacher from JNV, Chikkamagaluru said, “Even for teachers, there are many things that are still not clear and are in the dark. A science orientation workshop like this one is definitely needed,” she said.