Deepsee Dwivedi
Several schemes launched by the Government in recent years have provided youngsters with means to explore their scientific temper, along with generating employment opportunities, up-scaling their skills, and making them learn about innovations in science and technology.
Young India aspires to become self-reliant and technologically driven and the Government initiatives and schemes are laying the foundation for a stronger nation. “Innovation is the key to realising the dream of a new India”; these words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi resonate with the youth of the nation.
MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge) is one such programme of the Government that aims to generate one million innovative ideas relating to science for instilling a creative thinking culture among students (Classes 6 to 10). The objective is to provide innovative science and technology ideas a chance for development, especially those under themes such as Digital India, Swachh Bharat, and Make in India.
PRISM (Promoting Innovations in Individuals, Startups, and MSMEs) provides grants, technical guidance, and mentoring to individual innovators and perpetuates their ideas, thus creating new enterprises.
The Atmosphere and Climate Research-Modeling Observing Systems and Services (ACROSS) scheme is an initiative by the Ministry of Earth Sciences concerning atmosphere science-related projects and covers several other aspects of weather and climate services.
The Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) aims to educate youngsters with fundamental understanding of space and science technology. The curriculum comprises two weeks of residential training at four ISRO centers.
SHARP (Support for Human Resource Academics and Research Programme) is an ICMR initiative that facilitates advanced training for promising health research professionals.
Besides, Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL Labs) are set-up in identified schools across India with the goal of cultivating one million children as neoteric inventors.
As per the United Nations Population Fund, India presently has the largest-ever adolescent (ages 10-19) and youth (ages 15-24) population and projects that it will continue to remain so till the year 2030. It offers the country an opportunity to leverage this demographic benefit to make waves during ‘Amrit Kaal’, the next 25 years up to the 100th year of Independence.
