Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Encouraging young aspiring scientists

ENTHUSING AND ENLIGHTENING: ‘Thulir’ , a science magazine published by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum for schoolchildren.

COIMBATORE: This magazine contains facts, anecdotes and puzzles all based on science. “Thulir,” which is entering into its 20th year, still continues to fascinate its readers, mainly students who are passionate about science.

It holds within its pages new scientific discoveries from all over the world, news about science and essays on various scientific phenomena. It also has a section to which students can write their queries to. The answers are published in the next issue. The magazine, published by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum, is sent to schools that subscribe to it. About 1,000 copies of it are sold in the district, says P.Natarjan, District President of the forum and principal of the Panchayat Union Middle School, Nehru Nagar.

The forum has been encouraging scientific interests in students by publishing “Thulir,” organising competitions and the Tamil Nadu Science Congress. The congress is where students exhibit scientific projects and inventions made by them. With the aim to encourage more students from Government schools, especially in the rural areas to participate in its activities, the forum also conducts science and book exhibitions in the schools. Since they have the competitions at the block level, the participation from the Government schools is good, Mr. Natarajan says.

Recently, it conducted a district-level Thulir quiz competition, which was attended by more than 300 students from all parts of Coimbatore. The competition was first held at the block level and those selected from it attended the district level.

“The competition encourages thinking ability in students and increases their self-confidence,” says Mr.Natarajan. “It teaches them a thing or two about the influence of science in daily life and gives them confidence to face competitive examinations,” he adds. About 36 students selected at the district level will be attending the quiz competition at the regional level, which will be held in October and winners at the regional level will take part in the State level. The forum is also involved in campaigning for the education for all projects of the Government. It takes out rallies and the ‘Kalai Jatha’ includes students. The ‘Makkal Palli Iyakkam’ is another programme of the forum, which stresses the education of slow learners. By distributing books with large fonts and special study materials to school, the forum aims at creating awareness on learning disability.

In order to instil the reading habit in children, the ‘Kuzhanthaikal Puthaka Kankatchi’ is held regularly in schools.

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