4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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At the beginning of year release of grants to the CSC centers and Science clubs. The annual grant is for 150 Lacs for 18 CSC centers and 1 Crore for 2000 science clubs spread across the Gujarat State.
Each of the programmes and activities of the CSCs has a lot of creativity and innovation. The approach and methodology of designing such scientific programmes and outreach activities basically focused on informal community based learning and intended to enliven the imagination, foster creativity and develop a spirit of inquiry, especially in young minds.
Then detailed Orientation meetings are held amongst the expert faculties and CSC coordinators to identify the priority areas of their respective regions. For e.g. the Baroda and Bharuch region CSCs, felt that the awareness to have plantations alongside the river is of utmost importance and hence awareness and community empowerment was taken on a mass scale to clean river flowing between Baroda and Bharuch. The involvements in this social economic drive are on a PPP model with private players, NGOs and academic institutions are available for implementation. Further, the Board has constituted Advisory Committees, Executive Committees, Purchase committees and Expert committees for fast execution, implementation and monitoring of the various programs and activities.
The main elements of the action plan includes (i) knowledge of the substantive content of science among children and community members (ii) understanding scientific concepts and its applications in daily life (iii) knowledge of what counts as science as academic curriculum (iv) independence in learning science in informal set up (v) ability to think scientifically as scientific temperament (vi) ability to use scientific knowledge in problem solving (vii) knowledge needed for intelligent participation in science-based issues (viii) understanding the nature of science, including its relationship with culture (ix) appreciation of and comfort with science, including its wonder and curiosity (x) knowledge of the risks and benefits of science; and (xi) ability to think critically about science and to deal with scientific expertise.
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5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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While the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat makes the fund available the involvements in this Social Economic drive is on a PPP model with private players, NGOs and academic institutions are available for implementation. Also, citizens including school going children, school drop-outs, rural youth, women, farmers, School teachers and the Senior citizens are the major stakeholders.
The Council is an autonomous body registered under the Societies Registration Act from 1-2-2000 and working under Department of Science & Technology. Hon’ble Minister of Education is the Chairman of the Council. The Administration and Management affair of the State S&T Council is inducted by the Governing Board headed by the Civil servant, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat.
As the State S&T Council, GUJCOST also received annual Core Support Grant form Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
GUJCOST has also established a country-wide network of scientific faculties and resource persons in various disciplines, who are being invited from time to time for necessary guidance and supervision of the programmes and activities.
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6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat provides the financial aid for the programmes and activities of the GUJCOST. The secretarial assistance including the salary for the staff members along with the office administration has been released by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India as Annual Core Support. GUJCOST releases its grants to the CSCs and Science Clubs at the beginning of year.
For organizing different theme based seminars, symposiums, workshops at the local, state, national and international level by various college, university departments and other scientific institutions, GUJCOST releases financial supports periodically on the basis of their proposal and recommendation of the technical committee. The grant for Minor Research Projects has been released for the projects which has been examined, reviewed and recommended by the respective technical committees.
The annual grant for 2013-14 is Rs.43.75 Lacs from Government of Gujarat and Rs.66.00 Lacs from the Government of India.
There are regular orientation pogrammes, review meetings and follow ups for each of the programmes and activities at various levels and to measure the success indicators for each of the programmes.
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7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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I. The National Council of Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Dept of Science & Technology, Govt of India has examined the impact of the CSC Rajkot and conferred with National Award for best effort in popularizing science and technology among children in 2009.
II. The VigyanPrasar, Dept of Science & Technology, Govt of India has examined the in-depth activities and monitoring methodologies and adopting the same for its national science club programme across the country. VigyanPrasar has organized a brainstorming workshop with GUJCOST to adopt the implementation and monitoring methods for its VIPNET Science Clubs during 30-31st August 2012.
III. The National Book Trust (NBT), Govt of India has studied the CSC projects and evaluated its impact making activities. NBT has pleased to offer its Reading Club concept in each of the CSCs in the State.
IV. The Community Science Center platform in the state has also impressed the NCSTC-Network, an organization of 79 Government and Non-Governmental Organizations who has accord its membership to GUJCOST for its collaborative programme.
V. More recently, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) has organized a national meet to understand the State S&T Council activities and to initiate collaborative programmes.
VI. The reports of most of the science popularization programmes have been appreciated and uploaded at the UN websites, such as World Environment Day in UNEP, National Science Day at UNESCO, World Health Day at WHO, World Wetlands Day at Ramsar sites.
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8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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The Board has constituted Advisory Committees, Executive Committees, Purchase committees and Expert committees for fast execution, implementation and monitoring of the various programs and activities. A Technical Expert Committee headed by Prof. Arun Dave, Former Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapitha, Ahmedabad with eight eminent experts have been evaluated the programs and activities of the CSCs as well as its societal impact and benefits during 2011-12.
Periodical Review meetings including Quarterly & Annual Review meetings have been organized every year to evaluate and access the work and accountability of each of the CSC in a very rigorous manner. Also, representations of these CSCs in various workshops, seminars round the year, come under the scrutiny of the various committees formed.
The research proposals also reviewed by the respective subject expert committees with presentation of the work as well as the research publications at the national and international repute journals of impact values.
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9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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Main Obstacles
• Finding right people at grass-root level people pro science
• Synergy between industry and academia
• Bringing the tribal population to mainstream of scientific education
• Prevailing social stigma and superstitions
Obstacles Overcome
• Capacity building through Science Olympiads, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan teachers taken outside Gujarat and given exposure.
• CSCs centers providing a platform in establishing synergy& commitment between Industry and Academia.
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