Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST), in collaboration with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat, announced today the 31st edition of the State Level Program of the National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC). The event is scheduled to take place from November 30th to December 2nd, 2023, at the Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad.

The NCSC, initiated by the National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST Govt of India in 1993, provides a unique platform for children aged 10-17 to showcase their creativity and problem-solving abilities. This year’s focal theme, ‘Understanding Eco System for Health & Well-being,’ encourages young minds to explore five sub-themes: (i) Know your ecosystem, (ii) Fostering health, nutrition and well-being, (iii) Social and cultural practices for ecosystem and health, (iv) Ecosystem based approach (EBA) for self-reliance, and (v) Technological innovation for ecosystem and health.

The program aims to prompt children to identify and address significant societal problems using scientific processes, including observation, questioning, model-building, experimentation, field work, research, and innovative ideas.

A record-breaking 1,23,395 research projects have been registered this year, with 6600 projects selected for the District Level NCSC. The selected students will participate in the State level program, from which 26 child scientists will be chosen to represent Gujarat at the national level.

Smt. Mona Khandhar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of Gujarat has been consented to be the Chief Guest and to inaugurate the program on November 30th, 2023, at 3.30 pm in the Science Dome at Science City. Dr. Namrata Pathak, Scientist-G and Advisor & Head NCSTC, will be the Guest of Honour, and Shri J B Vadar, Executive Director, Gujarat Science City, and Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor, GUJCOST, will also grace the occasion.

The program will host Teacher’s Training Workshops conducted by experts from National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and State Model Institute of Ayurveda Sciences (SMIAS). The three-day event will see the participation of 600 delegates, including students, guide-teachers, scientific jury members, invited experts, and government officials.

Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor and Member Secretary, GUJCOST, emphasized that the NCSC program provides an ideal platform for students to develop rational thinking, apply scientific methods to solve local problems, and cultivate a passion for research and innovation.

In addition to scientific sessions, participants will have the opportunity to explore the Scientific galleries of the Science City and engage in unique experiences with Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Drones, and Robotics. DeshGujarat