Ishān Vikās A comprehensive programme to introduce School Children from the North-Eastern states to high quality academia and Summer Internship for the College Students Gautam Biswas, IIT Guwahati

…which later translates into a determination to explore the frontiers of knowledge… How can we provide such early exposure to the children from the North Eastern states? Early exposure to the wonders of Science instills in the growing minds a feeling of awe and wonder… …and ultimately leads to the scientific and technological development of a nation…

Ishān Vikās is proposed as a comprehensive plan to bring selected school children – girls and boys– from the North Eastern states into close contact with the IITs and IISERs during their vacation periods. Accompanying Teachers will also be able to broaden their perspectives. Lectures Discussions Demonstrations, Documentaries Campus Experience Internet Access and guidance Reading Material Mentoring by other Students Teachers’ Training Ishān Vikās

Lectures Important to Blend soft skills with the traditional three skills, – reading, writing and arithmetic. Broad overview of the various disciplines in science and engineering, highlighting the milestones and the current status, in non-technical terms as much as possible. Some informal, interactive sessions encouraging the students to ask questions. Contemporary themes of global awareness, finance, health and alternative energy. Lecture by an eminent Scholar in Humanities.

Demonstrations, Documentaries Short films: biographical sketches of scientists and technologists from India can be shown to inspire the young minds, emphasizing the milieu in which these scientists grew up

Discussions Tony Buzan (the Inventor of Mind Maps): Different Learning Techniques Scopes available for graduation and higher studies. Various funding sources. Examinations for admission process to various Univ/ Institutes…..

Campus Experience The visiting students will live in hostels and dine in mess with their hosts Some documentaries/ short films on recent big scientific discoveries or missions (such as the Moon Mission) can be shown to the students. Focused viewing in a theatre-like ambience to be followed by some interactive sessions on the topic may cut a deeper impression. As an example one may mention the BBC documentary on Fermat's Last Theorem. Visiting Laboratories, Libraries and participation in Games will excite them With joy of learning

School and Students in NE Class XI Number of Schools and Students Class IX Number of Schools and Students G + I= State Govt and Private Schools J = Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya K =Kendriya Vidyalaya

Composition of the Visiting Students We can start the program keeping 21 premier institutes (IITs and IISERs) in mind. Two groups in summer and one group in winter, consisting of 32 students each, will cover 2016 students in an academic year. Each visiting batch will have an equitable distribution of Class IX students and Class XI. Each group of 32 can be formed by taking 4 students from one single school in each of the eight NE states. Mingling of students of different NE states will have its additional benefits. In one academic year (of IITs and IISERs), each institute will cover 24 schools. Thus, 504 NE schools will be covered by the premier institutes (63 schools from each NE state). Each school will send one teacher to accompany the students of that school. A total of 504 teachers will be visiting the Premier Institutes. The organizers can contact 504 schools to start with, 63 from each NE state. Schools not covered in the first year will be given a chance next year. Air-tickets as well local travel to the nearest airport should be provided to all visiting students as railway connection is not good in most NE states.

9:30-10:3010:30-11;3011:30-12:3014:30-15:3015:30-16:3016:30-17:30Evening Day 1 Welcome, State the Purpose, Introduction Communication Skills session Expert talk on Maths with QA session Visit to maths dept Introduction Computer, Internet etc Organized walk around campus Day 2 Expert talk on Physics with interactive QA-session, visit to Physics labs Learning techniques: modern ideas Personality developme nt: need and conscious efforts Introduction Computer Internet etc Outdoor activity (sports) Day 3 Expert talk on Chemistry with interactive QA-session, visit to Chemistry labs Approaches to different routes of sciences (for better understanding) Simple Comp. programming Video show on important discovery (Maths) Day 4 Expert talk on Biology with interactive QA-session, visit to Biology labs Career options: academic, scholarships, admission process in institutes, non- academic options Simple Comp. programming Video show on important discovery (Physics) Day 5Expert talk on Electronics with interactive QA-session, visit to Electronics labs Computer programming Talk by an eminent scholar in Humanities Video show on important discovery (Chemistry) Sample Time Table

Budget We can start the program in the 21 premier institutes (IITs and IISERs). Two groups in summer and one group in winter Total 3 batches Group consisting of 32 students Cover 2016 students and 504 teachers in an academic year Each school will send one teacher to accompany the students. Estimated costs in Rupees lakhs. InstitutionRs. (lakhs) IIT Bombay9.32 IIT Kanpur4.72 IIT Roorkee8.72 IIR Ropar8.72 IIT Indore10.92 IIT Hyderabad9.72 IISER Pune9.72 IISER Thiruvananathapuram14.92 IIT Delhi8.52 IIT Kharagpur7.72 IIT BHU4.52 IIT Jodhpur9.36 IIT Bhubaneswar8.52 IISER Mohali8.72 IISER Bhopal12.92 IIT Guwahati4.32 IIT Madras9.72 IIT Patna4.28 IIT Gandhinagar9.32 IIT Mandi9.12 IISER Kolkata7.60

Imbalance of educational facilities in North-Eastern states Challenge: College Students The first undergraduate college in the North- Eastern region was established in Guwahati in Later it became famous as Cotton College and earned respect amongst its peers across the country. Assam Engineering College Guwahati (1955) is the first Engineering Institute in N-E Jorhat Engineering College NIT Silchar NIT Agartala NERIST Itanagar….. All N-E states have NIT now Assam Engineering College Guwahati (1955) is the first Engineering Institute in N-E Jorhat Engineering College NIT Silchar NIT Agartala NERIST Itanagar….. All N-E states have NIT now

Engineering College Students The performance of N-E students are good in general. The Girl students are Strikingly Very Good in Experimental work. They are to be encouraged for research. The performance of N-E students are good in general. The Girl students are Strikingly Very Good in Experimental work. They are to be encouraged for research. Internship of Seven/ Eight Weeks in Premier Institutes will enhance creativity Internship of Seven/ Eight Weeks in Premier Institutes will enhance creativity

Internship for the Engineering College Students There are 25 Government Funded (State as well as Central) Technical Institutions in the N-E states (leaving IIT Guwahati). Pre-final year students from different disciplines from these Institutions could be placed in different IITs and NITs for their Summer Internship. There are 25 Government Funded (State as well as Central) Technical Institutions in the N-E states (leaving IIT Guwahati). Pre-final year students from different disciplines from these Institutions could be placed in different IITs and NITs for their Summer Internship. The visiting students will work on well defined research problem under the mentorship, of the faculty members in various Departments of IITs and NITs during their stay. Take back with them enriching experience. Stay will prepare them for eventual careers in research and development. The visiting students will work on well defined research problem under the mentorship, of the faculty members in various Departments of IITs and NITs during their stay. Take back with them enriching experience. Stay will prepare them for eventual careers in research and development. Bring about Social and Cultural Interchange

It is proposed that each of these 250 Summer Interns may be provided with 2AC train fare (from parent Institute to the Institute where he/she will undergo Internship) and a monthly stipend of Rs.8000/= (to cater his/ her living expenses). Tenure of summer internship will be 2 months (from 2 nd week of May to 2 nd week of July). To-fro train fare (2AC) for 250 students : Rs.21,25, 000/= X 250 students X 2 months: Rs.40,00, 000/= Total Budget for Summer Interns per year : Rs.61,25, 000/= (Rupees Sixty one Lakhs and Twenty Five Thousand per year) It is proposed that each of these 250 Summer Interns may be provided with 2AC train fare (from parent Institute to the Institute where he/she will undergo Internship) and a monthly stipend of Rs.8000/= (to cater his/ her living expenses). Tenure of summer internship will be 2 months (from 2 nd week of May to 2 nd week of July). To-fro train fare (2AC) for 250 students : Rs.21,25, 000/= X 250 students X 2 months: Rs.40,00, 000/= Total Budget for Summer Interns per year : Rs.61,25, 000/= (Rupees Sixty one Lakhs and Twenty Five Thousand per year) Budget for the Internship