Jaydeep Barua, head of the academic committee of NCSC today, declared best 25 research projects presented by the “child scientists” from all across the country. These projects include three projects each from Assam, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Orissa, 2 projects each from Tripura, Karnataka and New Delhi and 1 project each from Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Dr D K Pandey, principal scientific officer, Department of Science and Technology (DST) said that from the current year the DST has decided to support the research projects with good potential. Where DST would help child scientists of these best 25 selected projects in getting access to basic infrastructure required to take their research further and also for the guidance from eminent senior scientists working in the respective field.

DST is planning to implement this initiative through their to be introduced concept “Regional innovation centres,” where tie-up with Governmental, Non - Governmental Organization operational in the field of science and technology, Research Laboratories and Agriculture Universities would be considered to facilitate the task mentioned above, Pandey added.

This year witnessed the largest ever participation of child scientists, where registration took place for over 587 projects and 576 projects were presented of which 11 were presented by the child scientists from the ASEAN countries. Out of these 267 projects were presented by the children from the rural areas of the country. DST officials praised the research efforts of rural child scientists by terming them as most original and high standard projects.

Participating child scientists were permitted to present their research work in their regional languages. Taking advantage of this facility close to 50 participants presented their work in their mother tongue, West Bengal topping the chart by presenting 31 projects in their mother tongue.