Uttarakhand CM Dhami inaugurates nine mobile science labs for Govt school students

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday flagged off nine mobile science laboratories aimed at enhancing science education in government schools across four districts: Champawat, Almora, Dehradun, and Pauri.

The initiative was launched from the CM's camp office and is part of a broader push to make scientific learning more accessible and engaging for students in the state.

Sharing the development on social media, CM Dhami wrote, "This effort will prove to be a milestone in taking science to the masses and promoting 'innovation-based education'. Through these mobile science labs, scientific thinking and curiosity of students will be encouraged and they will also become a part of practical experience."

The mobile labs are designed to ignite curiosity and foster a hands-on learning experience for students, bringing laboratory facilities directly to schools, especially in rural and remote areas.

Professor Pant from the Uttarakhand State Council of Science and Technology (UCAST) emphasized the importance of the project, stating that it aims to popularize science in the far-flung regions of the state. The program targets students from classes 6 to 12, enabling them to explore subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics through interactive experiments, demonstrations, and lab-based studies.

According to Professor Pant, the project is now entering its second phase, expanding its reach to nine more districts including Uttarkashi, Raina, Khera, Rudraprayag, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Ashram, Bageshwar, and Vastushastra.

In a separate announcement on Monday, CM Dhami highlighted the state government's continued commitment to education and welfare initiatives. He said the government is offering scholarships to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students from classes 1 to 12. Additionally, the state is operating 15 hostels, five residential schools, and three Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) free of cost for students from these communities.

"Free coaching and a monthly scholarship are also being provided to prepare for competitive examinations," the Chief Minister added.

Further addressing social welfare efforts, Dhami noted that children engaged in begging are being rescued and encouraged to attend school. The government is also focusing on equipping youth and adults with skill development training to promote self-employment opportunities.