SRINAGAR, March 2: If it would not have been for her parents, Insha Binte Bashir after passing 10th-grade with distinction was not interested in studying science subjects, as she does not ‘aim to be a doctor or an engineer’.
But after attending INSPIRE camp she seems to have completely changed her mind. “Earlier, I was worried what to do with science subjects as I do not wanted to go for entrance. After attending this workshop, I decided to perceive science subjects in future as well. I got to know that there are lots of great opportunities in science particularly if we go for research,” said Binte Bashir, an 11th-grade student from Alsarwat Institute, Islamabad.
Binte Bashir with many other intermediate students was part of five-day internship program, Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) organised by Kashmir University’s Centre of Research for Development (CORD).
INSPIRE is a programme sponsored and managed by the Central Department of Science and Technology to attract young talent towards science education and research.
“We have found that less and less students are now opting for basic and natural science subjects for under graduate and post graduate programs,” said AR Yousuf, a professor of environmental science and coordinator of the INSPIRE program at Kashmir University.
“If the trend continued it will take heavy toll on the research output of the country in future. Presently students are more inclined to choose the subjects, which lead them to lucrative managerial jobs. So INSPIRE has been designed to catch them at early stages by awareness campaigns, incentives and inspirational workshops.”
To attract students of Kashmir for studying science after their intermediate education, the INSPIRE workshop was conducted in which 300 students were provided chance to interact with the luminaries of science world, Prof Yousuf said. Students, who had secured more than 77 percent in their 10th-grade examination, participated in the five-day internship from February 24 to February 28.
Prof Yousuf said, the response from students was tremendous as they got chance to listen to top scientists of the country. More than 20 resource persons across India including the Bhatnagar awardees – highest science award in India – Javed Naim Agrewala, a microbiologist and Piyush Chandra Pande, physicist besides IIT scientists lectured the students.
