Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a series of structured initiatives to involve students and young researchers in space missions. Replying to an un-starred question in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the government is committed to democratising access to space technology, ensuring that students from institutions across the country — including those in tier-2 and tier-3 cities — get opportunities to contribute to India’s expanding space ecosystem.
Jitendra said ISRO’s Student Satellite Programme — led by the U R Rao Satellite Centre — allows academic institutions and student teams to design and develop satellites with mentoring from ISRO scientists. These student-built satellites also receive integration support and launch opportunities through ISRO missions, according to him. Internship and project trainee programmes are also available for undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students, enabling them to work on advanced space technologies at various ISRO centres.
To expand academic participation, Space Technology Incubation Centres (STICs) have been established across different regions to facilitate collaborative research between universities and ISRO scientists. Jitendra also highlighted the role of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) in promoting student engagement in the space sector. The agency has organised competitions focused on designing CAN-sized satellites and model rockets, in which 97 student teams comprising around 850 students have participated.
