Special Correspondent
| At National Children's Science Congress |
Mere reading of text books insufficient for becoming a scientist
Experience inspiring, say students
VELLORE: “Don't be content with reading lessons in the textbooks, but ask questions, and keep asking questions”, Ramanujam, former State president of the Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) told the participants at the Vellore District 18th National Children's Science Congress (NCSC) 2010 at the Global Institute of Engineering and Technology (GIT) in Melvisharam on Saturday.
Mr. Ramanujam said that students could learn scientific concepts only by trying out experiments at home. “You can become a scientist only by conducting experiments to ascertain the truth of what was taught through the science books. You should continue to ask questions about the lessons taught in the classroom. You will succeed only by asking questions”, he told the school students who presented projects at the Congress.
C. Rajendran, Collector of Vellore, who was the chief guest, lauded the TNSF for its role in conducting such competitions to kindle scientific thinking among school students and bring out hidden talents. He said that the NCSC brings home the fact that mere reading of textbooks would not suffice for one to become a scientist. One shoul have a questioning attitude to seek to come up with new innovations and inventions. “ Present-day children always asking probing questions which are often so brilliant that the parents or teachers struggle to answer them,” he said, recalling that Tamil Nadu has produced many scientists like C.V. Raman and S. Ramanujam.T.G. Pandurangan, Director, Ranipettai Engineering College (REC) wanted the district administration to request the engineering colleges in Vellore district to adopt some of the government schools in the neighbourhood.The REC deputed its teachers to schools in its vicinity and also brought the students from the schools to the college to explain scientific concepts in their labs, he said.
A student of Little Flower Convent Girls Higher Secondary School, Ranipet, said that she came to know a lot during the process of preparing for theNCSC. “The experience I got in the project has inspired me to achieve something useful through further experiments”, she said. A student of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Valluvambakkam said that theys used to read books written by others, participation in the Science Congress had enabled them to write and submit a project on their own.
A. Kalainesan, district president, TNSF, said ‘Let us use land for creation of wealth and protect it' was the theme of the district NCSC. Gopala Rajendran, district vice-president, TNSF, said that of the 75 projects presented by students at the District NCSC, nine projects--seven in Tamil and two in English—had been selected for the State-level NCSC to be held at Coimbatore from December 3 to 5. The best projects at the State NCSC would be presented at the national-level NCSC to be held at the Vel's University, Chennai from December 27 to 31.
V. Dhanasekaran, TNSF resource person; M. Saravanan, maths teacher, Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Odugathur; Jothilingam, science teacher, Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Odugathur; Subashini, District Education Officer, Vellore; Hemaprasad, chairman, GIT; N. Madhavan, State coordinator, TNSF; and S. Subramani, State secretary, TNSF, spoke.
The Collector later distributed prizes to young scientists who participated in the NCSC, guide teachers who helped the students prepare the projects and TNSF activists.
நன்றி: The Hindu
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