NATIONAL CHILDREN’S SCIENCE

CONGRESS (NCSC)

INTRODUCTION

Country wide NCSC Started in 1993.

Has become a movement.

Conceptualized, Catalyzed and Supported by

National Council of Science & Technology

Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science

& Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

Implemented by NCSTC-Network, a group of

Govt. & Non Govt. organizations from all states.

THE MAGNITUDE…

Starting from 16 States in 1993, today CSC in all districts of all

the states/UTs

NCSC is a much sought-after children’s program in the Indian

S&T calendar.

Around 8 lakhs children participate every year.

Since 1997, best two projects of each State participate in

Indian Science Congress.

Intel also has a tie-up with NCSC.

ASEAN & SAARC countries are showing great interest in NCSC.

OBJECTIVES…

Providing a forum to the Children (Age group 10–17 years)

both from formal and non-formal school system as well as from

outside of school to exhibit their creativity and innovativeness

and more particularly their ability to solve a societal problem.

Relating learning science with the environment around.

Promoting “methods of science” and applying the same for

finding solutions.

Catalyzing curiosity, spirit of inquiry and inquisitiveness.

Inculcation of SCIENTIFIC TEMPER.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NCSC PROJECT

It’s a simple, practical, innovative.

It’s carried out as a team-work.

It involves field-based data collection, collation, analysis and

representation.

Are based on exploration of everyday life situations.

It involves the community work.

Have definite outputs, arrived through scientific methodology.

Have definite follow up plans.

AREAS OF RESEARCH/PROJECT

Every year a focal theme is announced for the NCSC. The

children are

expected to carry out projects related to the focal theme and

the identified subthemes.

Activity guide books are available to help guide teachers

and the scientists.

A group of children not exceeding five can do the project

with the help

of scientists, school science teachers, coordinators of school

science clubs,

activists of science based voluntary organizations, etc.

FOCAL THEMES OF THE PAST YEARS…

1993 – Know your Environment

1994 & 1995 – Clean up India

1996 & 1997 – India of our dreams – Let’s go for it

1998 & 1999 – Nature – Let’s conserve, share & Care

2000 & 2001 – Indigenous scientific knowledge for a better tomorrow

2002 & 2003 – Food systems towards nutrition for all

2004 & 2005 – Harness water resources for better future

2006 & 2007 - “Biodiversity’: Nurture Nature for our Future”

2008 - 2009 - “Planet Earth :Let’s Explore, Care & Share.”

2010 & 2011 - Land Resources : use for Prosperity & Save for Posterity

EVALUATION CRITERIA OF NCSC PROJECTS

Originality & relevance of the project idea

Presentation

Scientific understanding of the issue

Data collection & analysis

Experimentation/Scientific study/validation

Problem solving attempt (for district level NCSC only)

Problem solving attempt & follow up (for state & national level CSCs)

Team work

Background correction (for district level CSC only)

Improvement from the previous level (for State & National level only)

FINAL EVALUATION AND OPPORTUNITY

The best potential projects are further screened

at national event by a team of evaluators. Short

listed potential projects & Children involved with

those projects will be given the opportunity to

pursue their study in some of the designated

laboratories for a specific period.

PARTICIPANTS

About 8 – 9 lakhs children participate every year

in CSC starting from district level since 1993. It

welcomes international participation and sharing

of experience. It has records of international

participation from countries like Germany,

Srilanka, Bangladesh and ASEAN Countries.

CRITERIA OF GOOD PROJECTS

Proper understanding and definition of the problem undertaken

Quality and the Quantity of the work, including team work,

learning process, subject understanding and efforts to validate

the data collected.

Relevance of the project to the community/school problem and

impact of project on schoolmates, neighbourhood community.

Originality, innovation and creativity shown to understand the

problem and find solution i.e. in methodology and experiments

design.

GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS AND PARTICIPANTS

CSC projects are focused on use of method of

science on the principals of learning through

learning while attempting to solve a problem.

CSC projects are neither only survey based,

essay type nor do they focus on developing

some working model to prove some scientific

principal.

The project should have relevance to the Focal

Theme and Sub themes defined for the year. The CSC

projects may not succeed in finding a permanent

solution to the problem, but, it is desired that the

approach and methodology undertaken should follow

the methods of science.

They should design experiments to validate the data

collected or obtained through experiments.

GUIDELINES TO PRESENT A PROJECT REPORT

Written report should be typed or preferably Hand

written on one side of the A-4 (8.6”x 11.7”)/ letter size

(8.5”x 11”) papers.

The language of the report could be English, Hindi

or any scheduled ones; however in case of language

other than English, it must carry a copy of abstract of

250 words in English only.

To make the cover page of the report, use Form A

providing information on the topic of the project, name of

team leader, other group members, guide, district and

state from where they are participating (can be in Hindi or

English).

The report should have following in the sequence- Form

A, Abstract (250 words), Introduction, Aims and

objectives, Need statement, Hypothesis, Work Plan,

Methodology, Observation, Data analysis, Results,

Conclusion, Solution to the problem, Future Plan,

Acknowledgements, References and Appendix (for

laboratory tests or media reports or certificates from the

authorities concerning the project).

The word limit for the written report for the lower age

group (10 - <14yrs) is 2500 words and that for the upper

age group (14 - <17 yrs.) is 3500 words.

The written report can include limited number of

photographs, sketches, illustrations and/or drawings, etc.

The presentation will be of 8 minutes followed by a 2

minute interaction/ questionnaire session with evaluators

and audience where the child scientist can use maximum 4

charts/ posters (55cm x 70cm) along with overhead

projector/ LCD projector if required. It may be noted that

computer slides cannot have additional features like

animation, pop-ups, rollovers, etc. Posters should contain

information on project title, names of group members,

objectives, map of the area, methodology, results,

conclusion, and solution to problem.

The log book is a must as a part of the written

document since it is reflective of team work.

This has to be submitted along with the report.

The age in the specific group must be strictly

followed.

Every project is carried out by a team of 2 to 5

children.

A child scientist can participate only once in

each group as a group leader.

For more information

http://www.ncstc-network.org

THANK YOU