The young minds of learners are a wellspring of curiosity and imagination, two essential characteristics that play a pivotal role in understanding complex concepts and applying them to real-life situations to solve problems. The creative skills of children can be harnessed to develop solutions to some of the most pressing societal challenges. Recognizing the significance of nurturing these innate qualities and fostering original thinking, the Department of Education in Science and Mathematics (DESM), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), has launched the Promotion of Research Attitude in Young And Aspiring Students (PRAYAAS) scheme for the academic year 2023-2024. This scheme aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, emphasizing the need to nurture original thinking in students, making India a global knowledge superpower, and generating new employment opportunities.
Empowering Young Innovators
PRAYAAS is an initiative aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasizes the need to encourage original thinking among students and aims to make India a global knowledge superpower. The program seeks to provide young learners with the opportunity to address societal challenges, create new knowledge domains, and foster creative imaginations. It also encourages students to explore the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) disciplines and apply them to real-world situations.
Under the mentorship of a science teacher and the guidance of faculty members or experts from Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs), including universities, colleges, PSUs, research laboratories, and industries, students will propose and work on research projects. These projects aim to instill a scientific temper, develop new ideas, and prepare research proposals for noble causes, while also addressing local or global contemporary challenges.
PRAYAAS represents a significant step towards engaging students in innovative ways of learning scientific concepts. This engagement fosters their holistic development, ensuring they emerge as well-rounded individuals equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow.
The Unique Features of PRAYAAS Scheme
PRAYAAS 2023-2024 is a unique program with several distinctive features:
Linking School and Higher Education: One of the standout features of the PRAYAAS Scheme is its emphasis on creating meaningful linkages between school education and Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs). This collaboration optimizes the learning and teaching relationship, fostering scientific temper, evidence-based thinking, creativity, innovativeness, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Fostering Scientific Temper: The program focuses on cultivating scientific temper, evidence-based thinking, creativity, innovativeness, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills among students.
Experiential Learning: PRAYAAS promotes experiential learning, providing students with hands-on experience in scientific research and investigation.
Problem Solvers: It encourages students to become problem solvers by applying scientific methods to address societal issues.
Entrepreneurship: The program aims to develop students’ entrepreneurship skills, fostering the potential for initiating start-ups based on scientific processes.
Areas Covered Under PRAYAAS 2023-24
PRAYAAS 2023-24 invites project proposals focused on original scientific ideas, including:
- Identifying and studying local problems.
- Investigating scientific reasons behind local issues.
- Proposing scientific solutions to problems.
- Exploring imaginative ideas to generate scientific knowledge.
Eligibility Criteria and research Grant
PRAYAAS is open to students aged 14–18 studying in classes IX–XI. Students can apply individually or in groups of up to two, along with a teacher from their school and an expert from an HEI. A teacher from the school who is a postgraduate teacher (PGT) teaching science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, or biology to classes 9 to 12 is eligible. Experts from HEI should be from any discipline of science and technology.
Each selected research proposal will receive a grant of Rs. 50,000, distributed as follows: Rs. 10,000 for the student(s) and Rs. 20,000 each for the school and HEI expert as catalytic grants. The grant will be released in two instalments, with the first instalment provided within a month of the project’s selection.
Important Dates
- Announcement of PRAYAAS Scheme: August 8, 2023.
- Last date of submission of applications: September 20, 2023.
- Announcement of results: October 5, 2023.
- Commencement of Project: October 10, 2023.
- Completion of project: October 9, 2024.
Application Procedure
Applicants are required to submit their project proposals online in the prescribed format to [email protected]. The application should include the research proposal, consent forms, and no-objection certificates.
Selection Procedure
- Entries will be screened based on criteria such as originality, scientific methodology, relevance, and clarity.
- Shortlisted entries will proceed to an interview and presentation round.
- Only 15 presentation cum research proposals will be selected for the catalytic grant.
- Implementation of PRAYAAS Scheme.
- Selected teams will receive catalytic grants.
- Students can start working on their projects immediately.
- The catalytic grant can be used for travel, research materials, and expenses related to the project.
Submission of Reports
- Progress reports must be submitted after four months.
- A final technical report, acknowledging NCERT’s support, must be submitted within 15 days of project completion.
General Terms and Conditions
- PRAYAAS is a bridge between students and NCERT through SCERT, aiming to nurture scientific thinking.
- NCERT is not responsible for any unforeseen emergencies during project activities.
- NCERT may send officers for project reviews.
- Decisions made by NCERT are final.
- The project’s tenure is extendable based on progress and geographical location.
- Research results may be published in scientific journals.
Conclusion
The PRAYAAS Scheme 2023–2024 is an exciting opportunity for school students to work under an expert from higher education to embark on a scientific journey, fostering innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills.Linking school and higher education is a significant step towards empowering the youth and making them key contributors to India’s growth as a global knowledge superpower. Through PRAYAAS, young minds are set to become catalysts for change, addressing societal challenges and paving the way for a brighter future. So, all the heads of institutes from both schools and higher education should support this cause for a powerful India.
(The Author is Sr. Academic officer Physics, Department of Education in Science & Mathematics, State Council of Educational Research Training (SCERT), Bemina, Srinagar. Feedback: [email protected])
