Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai flags off 'Bhawna Didi Ki Science Pathshala' mobile lab to teach AI, robotics, coding to students
Raipur, July 15
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday, along with Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh and in the presence of other Ministers, flagged off 'Bhawna Didi Ki Science Pathshala': Mobile Emerging Technology Lab.
Bhawna Didi Ki Science Pathshala-Mobile Emerging Technology Lab is an initiative to ensure learning regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, drones, and Aeromodeling, Internet of Things (IOT), coding, 3D printing, etc., for school students.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao and others from the Assembly premises were also present at the launch ceremony.
The free mobile Science Lab will be operated by Bhawna Samaj Sevi Sansthan, the NGO being run by Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Pandariya, Bhawna Bohra.
CM Sai emphasised that the initiative will be extremely useful for the students in the future, especially at a time when the entire world has entered an era of Artificial Intelligence.
"At a time when the whole world has entered the era of AI (Artificial Intelligence), at such a time, Bhawna Didi is dedicating a 'Science Pathshala' (Science School), which is in the form of a bus. And this bus is entirely a lab for emerging technologies. In this, five types of technologies will be taught to children. They will go to middle schools, high schools, and higher secondary schools to provide education on AI, Robotics, Drones, etc., to the children, which will be very useful for them in the times to come," he said.
BJP MLA Bhawna Bohra echoed a similar sentiment, saying that the mobile Science Lab will teach the various science and technology-related subjects which will be very beneficial to the students in the future, adding that a 5-day camp will be organised at schools to help students gain n understanding of Artificial Intelligence, robotics, drone technology, etc.
"This bus is dedicated especially to the children of the 11th and 12th grades, the children of Shishu Mandirs, and the students of government schools in the Pandariya assembly constituency. In this bus, the technology behind Artificial Intelligence (AI), which we frequently talk about, as well as robotics and various other science-related subjects that will be useful for children in the future, will be taught to them. A 5-day camp will be organised at their respective schools," she said.
"I believe that after completing this camp, our children will gain an excellent understanding of what AI is, how drones operate, how robots are made, and how they perform surgeries, among many other things. Whether we talk about the forest regions or the entirety of my Pandariya constituency, the children are definitely going to receive valuable information and learn a lot of new things related to modern science," she added.
The BJP MLA said that as per the plan, at least 5,000-6,000 students will be equipped with the knowledge of the abovementioned technologies through the 'Science Pathshala'.
He said that the plan is to help specifically for the 11th- and 12th-grade students of government schools and Shishu Mandirs.
He said, "We are going to create a calendar for when a vehicle visits a school. When a school's turn comes, the vehicle will remain there for five days to provide training to the children, and then it will move to another school the following week. This is how we have structured the 5-day sessions. If I speak about a one-year timeline, according to our plan, about 5,000 to 6,000 children will be able to learn about AI, robotics, and all these technologies through this 'Science Pathshala' in a single year."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good idea but only 5,000-6,000 students per year in one constituency? With India's population, this needs massive scaling. Also hope they focus on practical learning, not just theory.
Impressive that an Indian state is taking mobile tech education to villages. In our country, we often just talk about digital divide - this is actually trying to bridge it.
Great to see an MLA using her own NGO for this. But why only 11th and 12th graders? Younger students can also benefit from basic coding and robotics exposure. Start early, I say!
This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking program we need. The world is moving fast with AI, and our students shouldn't be left behind. Kudos to CM Sai and Bhawna Didi for this. 👏
Five-day camps sound good but sustainability is key. What happens after the bus leaves? Need follow-up material, online resources, and teacher training too. Otherwise it's just a photo op.
Really encouraging to see state governments investing in STEM education at grassroots level. This mobile lab concept could be a game-changer for remote areas.
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