Mumbai: IIT Powai hosts final round of ScientificA final

Mumbai, May 30: About 2,500 students from across Mumbai, Pune, Panchgani, Solapur and Srirampur would converge at IIT Powai in Mumbai from June 2-3 to participate in the final rounds of ScientificA competition, a science and technology championship.

These students have graduated from the first round of the competition, which was held in March this year, where over 10,000 students from across five cities of the State participated.

ScietificA is meant for students from Class III to X. It will put to test the students" ability to think and create with the use of tools and resources around them, said a release here yesterday.

Aakar Knowledge Solutions, a Mumbai-based educational research consultancy firm had launched ScientificA 2007, in March 2007.

Braingym, the first phase of the competition was conducted in multiple auditoriums spread over a period of two months. The second level of the competition, Technomaze, will be held on June 2, in which the students will be taken through a series of basic and applied science experiments and will be evaluated on their level of understanding of their surroundings and their ability to adapt to the use of tools and resources around them.

The final level of ScientificA, Junkreate, will be held on June 3, wherein students will create practical gadgets out of waste materials. This will test their creativity and levels of innovation in their approach.

However, the main aim of Junkreate is to generate environmental awareness among students. This will also reinforce the importance of waste recycling and creative opportunities it would provide to students.

Of the 2,500 students in all, about 200 students are expected to move to the final round to vie for the four educational scholarships, worth Rs 1.25 lakh in each of the four categories.

Students progressing to the second round (Technomaze) will receive a certificate of merit, an exploratorium kit (book with a collection of fascinating experiments which will come in handy for preparation for the competition) and a silver medal.

Students progressing to the third round (Junkreate) will receive a certificate of excellence, a gold medal and prizes worth Rs 2,000 each.

The final four winners (one each from each category) will receive a certificate of excellence, winning trophies and an educational scholarship of Rs 1.25 lakh each.

ScientificA is said to be the nation"s biggest science and technology extravaganza for school students between standard third and tenth, divided across four categories in over 300 schools across the five cities.

Students get to participate in a three tier science and technology competition. BrainGym, the first level, TechnoMaze, the second level and Junkreate, the third level.

UNI