IIT Bhubaneswar hosts 'Vigyan Jyoti' to encourage girl students pursue career in Science

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar is hosting a two-week residential training programme to encourage meritorious girl students in Class XI to pursue career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The special programme titled ‘Vigyan Jyoti,’ that commenced today will continue up to June 24. As many as 40 girl students mostly from government school across Odisha are participating in the event.

For the next two weeks, prominent female scientists, faculty, entrepreneurs and administrators will share their experiences with the students and inform them about the  career options available in field of science and technology, business and administration.

The students will be taken on trips to planetariums, science labs, research centres and places of historical interest, informed the authorities. Inspiring movies and documentaries on interesting science topics and biographies of famous female achievers will also be shown to motivate the students.

“The Vigyan Jyoti programme is funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST). Besides the travel, boarding, and lodging, the IIT Bhubaneswar is proving the participants with a scholarship of Rs. 5000,” informed a senior official.

"The holistic programme aims to encourage and inspire girl students to pursue higher education and become self-reliant. Such an exposure for girl students coming from rural background would help understand how to plan their journey from school to college and thereafter from research to a job of their choice in the field of science,” said the institute's registrar in-charge, Debaraj Rath.

This kind of early grooming will definitely help in promoting interest in science and technology and reap huge rewards for them in future, he said.