Dr. Jitendra Singh, the union minister of Science & Technology, said that Government is planning to set up Science museums across the nation.
He also emphasized the idea of our Prime Minister to develop skills of the 5Cs in the 21st Century; critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, curiosity, and communication.
Government is keen to set up Science Museums Across the Nation
On Wednesday, Minister Jitendra Singh said in a press conference that the Government is pondering setting up science museums across the country to enhance scientific temper, particularly among children and the younger generation.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the presence of G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER), according to the statement.
The statement said that this MoU would help set up science museums at select CSIR laboratories to promote scientific curiosity and awareness among ordinary people across all sections of society.
The union minister said that developing and imbibing scientific thinking to face the challenges of the 21st Century is the need of the present situation.
He said the recent pandemic had taught us the importance of increasing awareness of science and scientific thinking in society.
Taking reference from the recent address of PM Modi at the United Nations General Assembly, Where the PM criticized regressive thinking and extremism faced by the world and promoted science-based, rational, and progressive thinking.
They should be the basis for development, and to tighten a science-based approach, India is promoting experience-based learning.
The Minister said this MoU is a step in this direction and will create a new chapter in science communication and dissemination history.
He said it is a matter of pride also. This MoU is happening at the auspicious time when the nation is celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75 years of India’s independence.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the new initiative of CSIR, which is setting up Virtual Labs in partnership with IIT-Bombay for school-going students as per the guidance of the Prime Minister in the CSIR Society Meeting in 2020, is highly appreciable.
He also emphasized CSIR and NCSM set up a museum within NPL to showcase the technologies and interventions developed by CSIR over the past eight decades.
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Dr. Jitendra Singh said while CSIR talks with Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Atal Tinkering Labs Schools of Niti Aayog to set up science museums, they must reach out to the remote areas and schools and help them to grow along with other institutions.
He further said that using digital means and the virtual labs of CSIR and the mobile science museums of NCSM would be very complementary and valuable.
In his address, G. Kishan Reddy said that “it is a fact that Science Centres play an important role in supplementing the science education in the country and creating a culture of science and technology and enhancing scientific temper amongst the masses and youth in particular”.
He also pointed out that it is also the vision of our Prime Minister, who said that students have to go forward with the ‘skills of the 21st Century, which he quoted as the 5Cs of the 21st Century. They are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, curiosity, and communication.
Reddy said the collaboration of NCSM and CSIR and its laboratories significantly in fulfilling their objectives and the vision of our Prime Minister in a more productive manner.
He promised to provide help and assistance from the Ministry in the successful implementation of this initiative.
He also suggested an urgent need to have synergy and collaboration between other such departments in the Government of India, aiming to promote a culture of science, technology, and innovation.
