Bhubaneswar: As an outreach educational programme, the Regional Science Centre (RSC), Bhubaneswar, launched two Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) buses in rural districts of the state, Monday. The event was flagged off by National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) director Hirendra Nath Ghosh and RSC project coordinator Kapil Jain. Speaking on the occasion, Ghosh underlined the importance of Mobile Science Exhibition and said it plays a key role in disseminating scientific knowledge among grassroots-level students and in bridging the gap between rural and urban students. Jain said, “The programme is a unique initiative aimed at taking science to the doorstep of rural India, which will travel to various rural districts of the state. These MSE buses are equipped with interactive exhibits based on fundamental sciences and also have the facility to conduct science demonstration activities to encourage rural students. The theme of the programme is Measurement and Electricity and Magnetism.” The first phase of MSE programme will run from July 15 to August 15 in Khurda, Nayagarh, Boudh and Subarnapur districts. The programme will help more than 30,000 students in western Odisha across the network of schools covered under the jurisdiction of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan(OAVS) and Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir to learn the difficult concepts of science with simple hands-on experiments. “MSE is a science exhibition on wheels, typically housed in a bus that travels to different locations to showcase interactive science exhibits and activities. The purpose of a mobile science exhibition is to encourage curiosity and interest in science among students, teachers and the general public,” RSC sources said.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP