Close to 600 young minds will showcase their scientific innovations at the upcoming 17th National Children Science Congress (NCSC) 2009. The annual event, organised with support from National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, will be held for the first time in Gujarat since its inception in 1993.
The event will be organised between December 27 and 31, 2009 in Ahmedabad. The Gujarat Council of Science City, in association with SGVP International School, Ahmedabad, will host the five-day scientific programme. According to a press release, all the activities during the conference will revolve around the central theme of 'Planet Earth – Our Home, Explore, Care and Share'.
NCSC is designed to encourage children’s involvement in the process of scientific innovation. Children in the age group of 10-17 will take part in the conference.
Anandiben Patel, minister of revenue, disaster management, roads and buildings, capital project, women and child welfare said, "The programme will provide a forum for child scientists to pursue their natural curiosity and to quench their thirst for creativity by experimenting on open-ended problems. While encouraging the children to visualize future of the nation and helping them in building a generation of sensitive and responsible citizens, it will also stimulate scientific temperament and throw light on various scientific principles."
For the first time, around 100 child scientists along with their escorting teachers from SAARC and ASEAN countries will be participating as well. Moreover, about 50,000 local students are expected to take part in various programmes organized during the event.
Participants will also get an opportunity to interact with prominent scientists of the country. "Such events will encourage a sense of discovery in the children by using skill for keen observation, raising pertinent questions, building models, predicting solutions on the basis of the model, trying out various possible alternatives and arriving at the most suitable solution through experiments, field work, research and innovative ideas," said Ravi Saxena, principal secretary, department of science and technology, Government of Gujarat said.
