Children in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) are now getting hands-on experience in space science through newly set up space labs. The BTR government has established 15 such labs in hard-to-reach government schools under the Bodoland Space Education Programme. Each lab will also benefit students from nearby areas.
Earlier, the BTR government signed an agreement with New Delhi-based Vyomika Space Academy, an ISRO Space Tutor partner, to provide curriculum, training and hardware, including model launch vehicles and telescopes.
Initially, the plan was to create 10 labs in two schools each across the five districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri. Due to positive response from students, five more labs were added later.
Nilutpal Kashyap, Officer on Special Duty (Education), BTR, said the labs have dummy rockets and satellites, and students have already learnt to make basic robotics and drones using simple materials like cardboard. “We have the 15 space labs in remote villages. Six of them are functional. We could not start the functioning of the remaining nine labs as the model code of conduct is in force (in view of September 22 elections to autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council). Schools nearby can also avail of space exposure and learning there,” Kashyap said.
He added that in each school, one science teacher has been trained to operate the labs and will receive further training. In March, Kashyap took 10 students, two from each district, to the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad for an exposure trip. Its Director, Nilesh M Desai, was impressed with the initiative and visited the region to see the project in action.
To strengthen science education further, the BTR government has tied up with Bengaluru-based Agastya International Foundation. The foundation works to remove fear of science and mathematics among children by offering practical demonstrations. “The foundation has vans with science models. They take the vans to schools. They also have labs on bikes to cover areas where four-wheelers cannot go. The foundation imparts practical knowledge in the basic concept of science,” Kashyap explained.
The impact of such initiatives is already visible. Chirang, which had the lowest pass percentage in the Class 10 Board exams till 2022, recorded the best pass percentage in 2023, 2024 and 2025. “Baksa is No 1 in arts while Tamulpur is No 1 in science (streams),” Kashyap said.
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