Vigyan Prasar

Vigyan Prasar (VP) was set up by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, as an autonomous organisation in 1989 for taking up large scale science popularisation tasks.

Objectives of VP

• To undertake, aid, promote, guide, and coordinate efforts in popularisation of science and inculcation of scientific temper among the people and to increase the knowledge, awareness, and interest about science and technology among all segments of the society.
• To provide and promote effective linkages on a continuing basis among various scientific institutions, agencies, educational and academic bodies, laboratories, museums, industry, trade, and other organisations for effective exchange and dissemination of Science & Technology information.
• To undertake development of materials – audio, visual, audio-visual and printed methods and modes of communication, so as to enable the masses to better understand, appreciate, and comprehend abstract scientific principles and practices.
• To organise research work, courses, workshops, seminars, symposia, training programs, fairs, exhibitions, film shows, popular discussions, street plays, quizzes, song dance-dramas etc., in furtherance of the objectives of the society.

Science Communication Programs

Publications

The publication program of Vigyan Prasar delivers popular science books and newsletters aligned with Vigyan Prasar’s science popularization goals. Vigyan Prasar has consistently published books on various themes/issues of topical relevance. The authors are renowned scientists and science communicators from all across our country. Digital Library collection contains digitized version of all significant scientific works that are being published by Vigyan Prasar. Most of the books are being made freely available here so as to spread the knowledge by just a click of a view.

Vigyan Prasar brings out monthly bi-lingual science magazine Dream 2047. The magazine is being published by VP for the last sixteen years.

Science on Television

Vigyan Prasar’s (VP) program Science on Television has emerged as one of its major activities. The objective is to bring out video science programs on different aspects of Science & Technology in different Indian languages to demystify science and inculcate scientific temper and kindle involvement. VP is telecasting its program from 17 different TV channels. A Memorandum of Association (MoU) was signed in the year 2007 with Prasar Bharti with the arrangement that VP will produce the science program and Doordarshan will telecast through its channels. Since then VP programs are being telecasted through DD National, DD Bharti, DD Urdu, DD India, DD Kisan, and other 10 Doordarshan Regional Kendra’s. VP has also signed MoU with RSTV and LSTV for its programs including weekly science news programs.

DD Science

DD Science is a one-hour program slot on Doordarshan National Channel, which is telecast from 5 pm to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. It is an initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India, implemented and managed by Vigyan Prasar (VP) in collaboration with Doordarshan, Prasar Bharati, DD Science programs can be accessed on any DTH platform. This platform is dedicated to Science & Technology knowledge dissemination, with a strong commitment to spreading scientific awareness especially with Indian perspectives, ethos, and cultural milieu. The initiative is supported by the National Council of Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST.

India Science

India Science is an Internet-based science Over-The-Top (OTT) TV channel. It is an initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, implemented and managed by Vigyan Prasar (VP), an autonomous organisation of the Department of Science & Technology. This 24 x 7 video platform is dedicated to Science & Technology knowledge dissemination, with a strong commitment to spreading scientific awareness especially with Indian perspectives, ethos, and cultural milieu. The initiative is supported by the National Council of Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST. India Science is a bilingual Channel in Hindi and English.

Science Programs on Telecast

Ubharti Prodyogiki Sanwarta Kal: Ubharti Prodyogiki Sanwarta Kal serial support ‘Make in India’ program of Govt. of India in field of Science & Technology and it would be also helpful about understating of development Science & Technology.

Khudbud: Khel Vigyan Ke: Khudbud is a unique television series with a single-minded mission, that of popularizing science and more importantly the method of science. Targeted at children, it encourages creativity and self-discovery. It builds on “Learning by Doing”. The show is in a unique format, a travelogue that is shot in schools and communities all over the country. The team travels to different schools, in villages and towns, and plays science with children.

Gyan Vigyan/ Science Monitor: With an innovative idea to explore and depict happenings in the field of Science & Technology in India, Vigyan Prasar has come up with a challenging task of producing weekly science news telecasts through Rajya Sabha TV. The weekly news covers important National and International events, discoveries, and happenings in the field of Science & Technology. Previous episodes are also available on RSTV YouTube Channel.

Wise Spice:  Wise Spice, a 13 part series comes straight out of the Indian spice box. A fascinating potpourri of culture, history, wellness & medicine, traditional wisdom & cuisine, agriculture and above all, scientific research. What seems to the modern mind like little more than seasoning to conjure a meal is so much more. Spices have influenced the way people eat, how they live, and where they live. They have cured and healed. They have launched ships of explorations, led to the discovery of continents, and even fuelled wars.

A Question of Science: Scientific curiosity and the chase for answers is the central theme of ‘Question of Science’ – a 26 part series on the most exciting and cutting-edge research and innovation happening across India’s science labs and technology hubs. The series aims to answer the viewer’s question: What’s the latest happenings in Indian Science & Technology? Each 22-24 minute episode introduces us to a team of researchers, working to solve a pressing problem of science.

Resource Sharing: VP programs are also made accessible through Vigyan Prasar YouTube, NISCAIR Tube, and National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER) of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) etc.

Science on Radio

Science & Technology through radio is one of the flagship programs of VP. Since 2008, as per the MoU with Prasar Bharti, radio serials are being produced in 19 languages/local dialects and broadcast from 121 FM and MW Stations of AIR.

Gender and Technology Communication Program

The Gender and Technology Communication Program of Vigyan Prasar has been established with the objective to empower women through effective Science & Technology communication, through effective programs and resource material for women of all age groups and from different socio-economic strata, as a focus to enable them to make informed choices and make appropriate decisions for improving their quality of lives.

VIgyan Prasar NETwork of Science Clubs (VIPNET)

VIPNET, an acronym for VIgyan Prasar NETwork, was added as a new project to Vigyan Prasar in 1998 with the objective of providing a fillip to the science clubs movement in India. This is a network to weave all science clubs, societies, organisations which are already established, or are going to be established, and are willing to work with Vigyan Prasar to strengthen the popular science movement in the country with far-reaching implications for the development of society.

Astronomy Popularisation

Astronomy is such a fascinating subject that attracts not only students but also layman and amateurs. Curiosity to understand the subjects is very common in all age groups. Historically, Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences concerned with the study of planets, stars, galaxies & other celestial objects and phenomena. From time immemorial the night sky has fascinated many cultures in the past including the Indians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Chinese & the Greeks and it continues to fascinate us even today. Vigyan Prasar is engaged in the popularization of Astronomy at national level through various means. Since its formation, Vigyan Prasar had procured many astronomical instruments, conducted many astronomy awareness programs, and developed a number of resource materials on astronomy.

Ham Radio

A ham radio operator can carry on experiments with various communication equipment and systems going deeper into the science of electronics (Learning by Doing) and at the same time provide great service to the people in general worldwide by way of organizing on-the-air emergency medical traffic, establishing emergency communication network during natural calamities like flood, cyclone, storm, earthquake or any other disaster.

Activity Kits

Vigyan Prasar’s Activity Kits & Toys are hands-on activities especially designed and developed for the benefit of children. These are developed using locally available and easy to access materials. The method of assembling such kits and using them to derive valuable lessons on the basics of science in several areas are communicated through interactive activities. The activities are demonstrated and the basic concepts of science are explained.

Science through Films

VP regularly conducts the screening of its films for students of schools/science clubs/colleges etc. and also participates in various Indian or International films festivals. In addition to this VP is also organising its own National Science Film Festival/ Rastriya Vigyan Chalchitra Mela (RVCM) since 2011.

National Science Film Festival of India (NSFFI) 

National Science Film Festival of India (NSFFI) is a flagship event of Vigyan Prasar to recognise, appreciate and celebrate the science through cinema. NSFFI aims to:

• Foster, strengthen and create scientific temper through films that popularise science, technology, innovations, energy, environment, medicine and emerging sciences, agriculture and traditional knowledge
• Recognize the initiatives of science communicators/filmmakers
• Create a platform to interact with filmmakers, scientists and enthusiasts to create a better understanding of the universe
• Encourage citizen science and public participation
• Promote appreciation of science films

Science Communication & Training

The coverage of Science & Technology related developments, particularly relating to research done in Indian research institutions, is generally very poor in Indian media. There are several reasons for this situation, one of them being the lack of good local content. In order to bridge this gap, Vigyan Prasar has launched a unique initiative India Science Wire in January 2017. The news service is dedicated to developments in Indian research institutions, universities, and academic institutions. Almost all news stories released by this service are based on research papers by Indian scientists published in leading Indian and foreign journals. All news stories and features are written and edited by a team of professional science journalists with decades of experience in science journalism.

Science Outreach

In its endeavour to enhance its outreach activities in Indian languages, Vigyan Prasar has chosen Bengali, Tamil, and Marathi in its first phase of the Project Outreach in Indian Languages. 

VP EduSAT Network

Vigyan Prasar has established an EduSAT two-way audio-video interactive communication network in association with Development and Educational Communication Unit (DECU) of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Ahmedabad. It is mainly proposed for science communication/science popularization purpose and also for disaster management.

Exhibitions and Fairs

Exhibition and Fairs program of Vigyan Prasar helps to cater to how best to disseminate science to the public through a variety of new and traditional media. Vigyan Prasar is regularly participating at various events and exhibitions including Indian Science Congress, India International Trade fairs, India International Science Festival, National Science Day etc. Thematic exhibitions are also being conducted by Vigyan Prasar using various knowledge products/tools such as Posters, Digital display, Flyers, Multi User Smart Surface Table, Virtual Holographic Display, films etc. 

Vigyan Samachar

Vigyan Samachar (VS) / Science & Technology News of India (STNI) is India’s first news agency to aggregate and provide news and related articles in the domain of Science & Technology. Vigyan Samachar provides a number of Science & Technology news stories and features from the institutions and labs of the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India (Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.

Source: Vigyan Prasar (VP)