29-Sep-2021: CSIR and National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) sign a MoU setting up of Science Museums at select CSIR Laboratories and to promote scientific temper among the people of India

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the Government will be setting up Science Museums across the country to promote scientific temper, particularly among children and the younger generation.

Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after signing of a MoU between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) in the presence of Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and DoNER. The MoU aims at setting up Science Museums at select CSIR Laboratories to promote scientific curiosity and awareness among the common people across all sections of society.

Dr Jitendra Singh called for imbibing scientific thinking to face the challenges of 21st Century. He said, the recent pandemic has emphasized the importance of increasing awareness of society for science and scientific thinking.

Referring to the recent speech of Prime Minister at the 76th United National General Assembly in New York, wherein Shri Modi pointed to the threat of regressive thinking and extremism faced by the world, Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated that science-based, rational and progressive thinking should form the basis for development and in order to strengthen a science-based approach, India is promoting experience-based learning.

The Minister said that today’s MoU is a step in this direction and will create a new chapter in the history of science communication and dissemination. He said, it is a matter of pride also as this is happening at the opportune time when the nation is celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75 years of India’s independence.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the new initiative of CSIR in setting up Virtual Labs in partnership with IIT-Bombay for school students as desired by the Prime Minister in the CSIR Society Meeting in 2020 is highly laudable. He also welcomed the move by CSIR and NCSM to set up a museum within NPL to showcase the technologies and interventions developed by CSIR over the past eight decades.

The Minister said, this initiative is also in line with the vision of Narendra Modi, who desired that S&T must reach every nook and corner of the country and that there is a need for outreach. He said, museums should not be static but must be dynamic and engaging and should emerge as crucibles of innovation and we must tap into the curiosity and enthusiasm in the students and the youth.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, while CSIR has tied up with Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas and Atal Tinkering Labs Schools of Niti Aayog, it must reach out to the remote areas and schools. He said, use of digital means and the virtual labs of CSIR and the mobile science museums of NCSM will be very complementary and valuable.

In his address Shri. G. Kishan Reddy said that “Globally, it is recognized that Science Centres play an important role in supplementing the science education in the country and creating a culture of science and technology and developing scientific temper amongst the masses and youth in particular”. He also highlighted the fact that it is also the vision of our Prime minister, who said that students have to move forward with the ‘skills of the 21st century, which he quoted as 5Cs of 21st Century. They are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, curiosity and communication.

Shri Reddy said, the signing of this MoU will connect NCSM and CSIR and its laboratories significantly in fulfilling their objectives and the vision of our prime minister in a more fruitful manner. He also assured all the help and assistance from the Ministry in successfully implementing this initiative.

He also suggested that there is also a need to have synergy and collaboration between other such departments in the Government of India whose aim is also to promote a culture of science, technology and Innovation in the country.

2-Aug-2021: NCSM of Culture Ministry has taken up 14 projects for setting up new Science Centres under SPoCS Scheme

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, has developed a chain of science museums and science centers throughout the Country including Science Cities through Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS) for portraying the growth of science and technology and their application in industry and human welfare, with a view to develop scientific attitude and temper in the country as also to conduct research in science and technology in the areas pertaining to the activities of the Council.

NCSM has taken up projects for setting up of new science centres under SPoCS Scheme of Govt. of India as per list attached at Annexure-‘I’.

Currently, 25 Science Museums/Science Centres in the country are functioning under the administrative control of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM).

NCSM in collaboration with State Governments and UTs have set up 22 Science Centres and handed there over to respective State Government for subsequent operation and maintenance.

Annexure-‘I’

New Science Centre projects taken up by NCSM under SPoCS Scheme of Govt. of India

2-Mar-2021: Udaipur Science Centre inaugurated at Udaipur , Tripura

The Udaipur Science Centre, at Udaipur, Tripura was dedicated to the people by the Governor of Tripura, Shri Ramesh Bais on 28th February 2021. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism, Govt. of India Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. The Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, and the Minister for Agriculture, Transport and Tourism of Tripura Shri Pranajit Singha Roy, were the Guests of Honour.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor apprised the audience on the importance of National Science Day, which is celebrated every year on the 28th of February. He also highlighted that Science Centres play a vital role in developing a scientific temper in the society and inculcating a culture of Innovation among masses, particularly among students. He also appreciated the role of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and Ministry of Culture for the spread of scientific awareness.

Shri Prahlad Singh Patel stressed upon the importance that NCSM is playing in spreading a culture of science and expressed that this new science centre would enable the students to learn many unknown facts about science. He also mentioned about India’s contribution in the field of science and technology and desired that the people of this country, especially the children must be informed about our rich Science & Technology heritage.

Shri A D Choudhury, DG, NCSM informed that Udaipur Science Centre is the 22nd Science Centre which has been developed by NCSM and handed over to the State Governments under the Ministry of Culture’s Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science. He informed that this Science Centre has been developed at a cost of Rs 6.00 crore funded jointly by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India and Dept. of Science, Technology & Environment, Government of Tripura and with this; NCSM has now set-up science centres in all the north eastern states. He also informed that NCSM will open 4 more new science centres in different parts of India during 2021.

23-Jun-2021: Culture Minister presides over the meeting of Central Advisory Board on Culture

Culture Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel chaired the meeting of the Central Advisory Board on Culture (CABC) today at Gandhi Smriti, (Rajghat) New Delhi. The meeting was organized in hybrid mode in which all the members participated. While some members attended the meeting physically others attended it virtually.

In the meeting detailed discussions were held on the ongoing activities undertaken by the government and the way ahead in the celebration of 75 years of India’s independence – “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The Members of the CABC took cognizance of the activities and gave their valuable suggestions in this regard.

During the course of the daylong meeting, detailed discussions were held about the various other activities undertaken by the ministry like in the area of performing arts, museums and cultural spaces, activities of the various academies and knowledge institutions funded by the ministry of culture. A detailed presentation was also made on the various activities undertaken by the Archeological Survey of India in recent years.

During the discussion, the Members advised the Ministry of Culture to evolve more programmes and to intensify the existing policy programmes to focus attention on creativity at different levels of Indian society, and different regions, which  has either been neglected or not sustained through the existing institutional mechanism.

The Members also recommended close monitoring of the Artiste centric approach in taking up welfare measures to ameliorate the working and living conditions of the Artistes.

The Culture Minister welcomed the suggestions and assured the Members that appropriate actions would be taken by the ministry for promotion, development and preservation of India’s rich culture and heritage, especially of those parts of our heritage which have been neglected till now.

The meeting was attended by members Dr Anupama Hoskere, Prof. Chandan Kumar, Dr Chandra Prakash, Shri Chetan Joshi, Shri Ravindra Bajpai, Shri Devendra Sharma, Ven Lama Chospel Zotpa, Smt Manju Borah, Dr Vikram Sampath, Prof. Dr Achintya Biswas, Prof. Michel Danino, Shri S. N Sethuram, Dr Saroj Rani, Shri Sahamsher Singh Manhas, Dr B. R Mani and Prof Basant Shinde.

Besides the members, the meeting was attended by Secretary, Culture Shri Raghvendra Singh who is also the member convener of the committee as well as by senior officers of the Ministry of Culture.