Govt takes stock of preparations for Bankura Science Congress

Minister-in-charge of Science and Technology Asish Banerjee on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with senior officials of Bankura to take stock of ongoing preparations for the Regional Science Congress in the district, to be held on November 7 and 8, through which the state government would provide financial assistance to students at various levels as well as research fellows.

Apart from Bankura, the Regional Science Congress will also be held at Jalpaiguri at the same time. The Science and Technology department will organise the 24th State Science and Technology Congress on February 28 and March 1 next year at Science City, to ensure wide participation of students and research fellows from various parts of the state.

The main purpose of the programme has been to conduct an online ‘talent hunt’ in order to provide financial assistance to school students from various districts for their standout performances in the fields of science and technology, and other streams as well.

The Science and Technology department had already assigned the Science and Communication Forum to organise the talent hunt throughout the state in order to identify the best talents from far-off places and nurture them.

It has been often seen that there are students from various schools in the districts who have different innovative ideas and often make scientific inventions and innovations. This is for the first time the state government is going to conduct online talent hunt.

On Wednesday’s meeting, the Science and Technology minister wanted to know about the steps that were being taken to successfully organise the event. It was also discussed during the meeting how the students from the distant areas of Bankura district could be made aware about the talent hunt. The minister also instructed the district administration to take necessary steps to make the programme a grand success.

Following the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Science and Technology department has taken up a slew of new schemes that will benefit the poor but meritorious students from various streams at all levels.

Some students are adept in making handicraft items, while some others perform extraordinarily in various exams. But these students are often deprived of various state government welfare schemes.

Keeping this in mind, the Science and Technology department has come up with a unique idea to promote the skills and talents of such students and help them realise their dreams by extending financial assistance.

The department has also been conducting awareness programmes among the students. The Science and Communication Forum will organise camps at various places to explain school students in the districts as to how they can register themselves via the internet and take part in various competitions.

One of the main objectives of the Science Congress is to provide a forum for scientific research, especially to young scientists, and to synergise new ideas. It also aims to encourage students to write scientific papers in vernacular languages.

The department would also reward those researchers who will submit the best papers on various subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical science, Environmental science, Earth science, Life science, Agriculture, fisheries and animal science, Engineering and Social science.

Applicants can find detailed information at www.vigyanchetana.in.

Asish Banerjee will soon visit Jalpaiguri to inspect the progress in the preparation of the Regional Science Congress.