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(GIST OF YOJANA) Redefining Science Communication

[October-2021]

Getting information about the Covid-19 and its antidote has become the most critical talking point today. For the world, science & technology-related information was considered dry and drab for quite some time in the past. This event has brought back the necessity to keep ourselves duly abreast with the latest of how, why, what, and when of science & technology. For the scientists too, on the other hand, it has become equally important to keep the society timely aware of the developments they make in their fields of research. This is what we call Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR).
Adhering to the constitutional mandate of nurturing and inculcating a scientific temperament and promoting rational outlook, Vigyan Prasar (VP), with SCoPE (Science Communication, Popularisation, and Extension) as its mandate, has been active on every possible communications’ platform from print to electronic to digital to social media.

About:

This creative, cross-disciplinary, and effective platform enables dialogue and knowledge transfer. It has thus, helped put Indian science on the global science map. Vigyan Prasar started its operations in 1989. It has been since then serving the nation to meet its SCoPE needs.
The SCoPE has also found a reflection in the Science & Technology Innovation Policy 2020 draft, a landmark policy initiative by the Government of India.
The draft emphasises science communication in Indian languages with local and hyper-local contexts for last-mile connectivity. Vigyan Prasar, for the past two years, has been popularising science in various Indian languages.

Foray into Electronic Media:

Vigyan Prasar, since its inception, has been utilising visual rhetoric, the most effective mode, to make scientific awareness and rational knowledge accessible to all. VP launched two critical initiatives on 15 January 2020: (i) DD-Science-a one-hour daily dedicated slot (5 pm to 6 pm) from Monday to Saturday on Doordarshan National channel; and (ii) India Science - an Internet-based 24*7 science TV channel. Leveraging on the far-reaching effect of social media, Vigyan Prasar’s programmes can be accessed through multiple platforms. It has been producing and telecasting this weekly programme to highlight the exemplary work of Indian scientists, institutions, and laboratories.

Popularising Science in Indian Languages:

Vigyan Bhasha is VP’s systematic approach to expanding science communication through Indian languages. The programme includes monthly newsletters, popular science books, translations, social media initiatives, films, state-level meets of science communicators, and training workshops and exhibitions.
Bigyan Katha in Bangla (2020), Tajassus in Urdu (2019), Ariviyal Palagai in Tamil (2019), Kutuhali in Kannada (2019), and Sandhan in Assamese, Vigyanavani in Telegu (2021), and Vigyan Ratnakar in Maithili (2021), monthly newsletters and publications are helping the message of science reach the community and benefit society at large.

Science in Print and Publishing:

VP brings out publications in English and Hindi, as well as in other Indian languages. Its 300-strong title list of books, run the gamut of themes and issues, renowned science authors, communicators, and illustrators strengthen and expand their reach. Dream 2047 is VP’s bilingual flagship monthly magazine, which has been in circulation since 1998. It publishes popular science articles, features, and S&T news by eminent science writers and contributors engaged in writing and popularising science.

Facilitating the News World

The news services, Indian Science News and Feature Service, and India Science Wire (ISW), highlight the success and progress in science and technology in India through its daily news distribution to about 500 media outlets. Facilitating scientists to write popular science stories and articles that the masses can easily understand and in turn, can get consumed by the media is the need of the hour.
Vigyan Prasar has been continuously organising training workshops for scientists, and masterclasses for short film making at all possible levels so that print electronic and social media can use it easily and help spread the word of science & technology in the country.

Science Film Festivals:

Films have been one of the most important tools of science communication, which is being explored and promoted by Vigyan Prasar for the past two decades. Various events, outreach activities, workshops, and film festivals are organised to highlight the importance of film-making for science communication and to enhance the capacities of both professionals and amateurs.
VP’s flagship events-International Science Film Festival of India (ISFFI) and National Science Film Festival of India (NSFFI)- attract talented young filmmakers and science enthusiasts.

SCoPE through Radio:

Since 2008, promoting science and technology through the radio has been one of the flagship programmes of Vigyan Prasar. Ever since 2018, it has produced programmes in 19 languages and broadcast from more than 117 stations of All India Radio (AIR).
Vigyan Prasar has also utilised the reach and power of community radio.

SCoPE through Network Clubs:

One of VP’s niche activities is inculcating science communication/popularisation through a network of science clubs (VIPNET) in schools.
The club provides skill up-gradation training, awareness camps, and hands on science workshops throughout the country. Various state education departments, tribal departments, and chains of schools are now partners in this initiative.

SCoPE in Research:

The project Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research (AWSAR), encourages PhD and postdoctoral scholars in science and technology streams to write popular science articles during their scholarship/fellowship programme, which are later published as a book.

SCoPE for Students

Vigyan Prasar is a partner in India’s most extensive talent search examination, VVM (Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan) for the New India initiative using only digital devices initiated by Vijnana Bharati (VIBMA). VVM is focused on school-going children from class VI to XI across the country.
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) of the Ministry of Education, is also part of this initiative. The primary objective of the programme is to educate the students about India’s legacy of Science & technology.

Engage with Science:

Engage with Science is an interactive platform aimed at school teachers and students to make science teaching and learning a lot of fun by deploying gamification tools and an incentive-driven competitive process.

Amateur Radio Stations:

Vigyan Prasar provides technical support and fulfils the informational needs of students and amateurs engaged in communication using amateur or ham radio.
As the ham radio systems are resilient and can be used sustainably even in adverse circumstances, Vigyan Prasar’s ham radio station assists other ham radio stations operating from the disaster affected areas.
Vigyan Prasar is engaged in the popularisation of astronomy at the national level through various means. It has been organising various programmes through EDUSAT for maths popularisation, workshops, Ramanujan Yatra 2020, and Pi Day every year. Since 2013, VP has been focused on communicating science in the tribal areas of the country Trainings, workshops, activity camps and awareness programmes are being organised using film and radio as the medium of communication and other outreach activities.