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Science Express chugs into Bhubaneswar

— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

eager to Learn: Schoolchildren gather near the Science Express at Mancheswar station in Bhubaneswar to have a glimpse of exhibits inside the coaches.

BHUBANESWAR: When Science Express, a 16-coach train painted in sparking white, halted at Mancheswar Station here on Tuesday, hundreds of school students and parents flocked to see the latest advancement in the field of science. For them, it may seem to be yet another science exhibition and an outing for students.

But for 40 odd science communicators and a dozen of officials from Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VSCSC) and Max Planck Society (MPS) of Germany travelling with Science Express it has been a relentless attempt to stir the scientific temper lying idle in minds of students.

“India is not the only country in world which has witnessed gradual depletion in student mass opting science as a career, every country is feeling the pinch. Unless and until students are passionate about science subject, why will they go for it,” Ranganatham G. V., Project Coordinator of Science Express, said here.

The Science Express is carrying more than 300 large-format visual images, over 150 video clips and multimedia exhibits those deal extensively with cutting-edge research in science and technology with a single mission to attract students to the world of science.

About 12 coaches display multimedia science exhibits developed by MPS which explain very own universe – how it all began and glimpse of space, the world of senses, computer application in medicine and global warming.

At the end of each coach, a board has been hung describing where one can go for higher studies and research in India.

“Our primary targets are students graduating from Standard IX and X and opting a new career. We want to show that science could be an attractive career other than engineering and medical,” Mr. Ranganatham said.

Andreas Klauke representing MPS, Germany said, “we are a country that have made science education free. You just have to organise your lodging and food. Though Information Technology is taking away large chunk of students, the phenomenon is temporary. We see science is the sector which would bloom.”

Students and parents would have to be convinced that Science would pay much better than IT, Mr. Klauke said. Officials and communicators manning the Science Express are hopeful that though the exhibition would not yield any immediate result, it would certainly pay in future. The hope gains strength from the fact that the footfalls in 29 stations that the Science Express has so far covered will reach a million during four days of stay here.

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