Evaluation of innovation in Science pursuit for inspired research inspire programme organized for senior secondary talented students of science

Abstract

Science is the key to our economic growth. Science and technology is seen as creating greater opportunities for future generations and as making life easier and more comfortable. India s relative position in the world of science has declined in the last twenty years. Worldwide decline in interest in science is seen to be an important challenge. Science in India is in danger of stagnating (Balaram, 2002). It is stated in Nature (2004) that of impact-making scientific publications, India is 22 in global ranking below China, South Korea and Poland. Now, we often produce private tuition and coaching enabled, mugging-up grade technicians fit to do routine jobs, but not capable of doing original research. Highly skilled and specialized human talents and resources are essential needs for Research and Development to sustain the flow of knowledge into the manufacturing sector. newlineA number of programmes in place in different countries have sought to take advantage of the natural curiosity of young children to encourage further development of inquiry and the scientific process, as well as excitement about the potential of careers in scientific disciplines. Realising the need of skilled professional in the field of STEM in India DST launched the INSPIRE programme on 13th December 2008. The basic objective of INSPIRE is to communicate to the youth of the country the excitements of creative pursuit of science and attract talent to the study of science at an early stage and build the required critical human resource pool for strengthening and expanding the Science and Technology system and Research and Development base. Implementation of INSPIRE Internship camps started during 2009-2010. Such type of study enable the coordinators/administrators to restructure programmes to better meets the needs of their participants. Thus, evaluation of such programme is necessary for organization, improvement and proper implementation of such programmes. newline