Energy: Explore, Harness and Conserve

The theme of 20th  Children Science Congress is related with Energy.  It was decided on the basis of a brainstorming session conducted in Tezpur University, Assam. The Children's Science Congress (CSC) is a three tier competition. The congress is organized annually by NCSTC-Network, a registered society comprising a network of governmental and non-governmental organizations working for development of scientific temper and science popularization. NCSTC network works in tandem with Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Pradiyogiki Sanchar Parishad of Department of Science and Technology.
The primary objectives of the Children's Science Congress is to make a forum available to children of the age-group of 10-17 years to exhibit their creativity, innovativeness and  ability to solve a societal problem experienced locally using the method of science. Selection of subjects for activity and registration of teams is done around mid July every year. A team consists of a maximum of five students and a guide. The students then work on the projects for next 2-3 months. District Level Congress is conducted around mid October.  In Jammu & Kashmir, CSC is organized as a four tier event. After district level competition, regional level competitions are held in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions of the state.  State-level competition is organized for the finalists of the three regions to select 16 teams for the national event. The teams are accompanied by five teachers/guide and a state coordinator. The state coordinator is selected alternatively from Jammu and Kashmir divisions.  The national level event which is held from 27-31 December is however represented by only one member of the team due to logistic constraints. In Kashmir division the district and regional level Children Science Congress is  coordinated by Anantnag based NGO Jammu and Kashmir Students Welfare Society. The theme of 20th National Children Science Congress 2012 is ‘Energy: Explore, Harness and Conserve’. 

Participating Students are supposed to  consult scientists and academicians from higher institutes of learning like NIT, GMC, SKIMS, SKUAST, KGP, IUST, Central silk Board, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Indian Meteorology Department, various degree colleges  and Kashmir University. Students are also supposed to  conduct surveys in their vicinity to assess a local energy related issues and problem. Participants improve their project at successive levels. The selected teams for state level competition get expert advice from judges for further improvement of their work.

The CSC prompts children to think of some significant local problem, ponder over its causes and subsequently try and solve the same using the scientific process. This involves close and keen observation, raising pertinent questions, building models, predicting solutions on the basis of a model, trying out various possible alternatives and arriving at an optimum solution using experimentation, filed work, research and innovative ideas. CSC offers child scientists great opportunities for learning and peer group interaction. It is also a learning experience for science teachers who guide child scientists. The teachers/guides receive special orientation on the theme of the CSC every year. In short, CSC not only helps in initiating students towards scientific methodology but also helps in professional growth of science teachers who may guide their student’s projects.    

Some suggested projects on energy are  as follows

·         Explore and identify energy resources in and around you

·         Listing of household energy consumption pattern (For example: Electricity, petrol, diesel, LPG, wood etc. and quantify each)

·         Finding the cost of energy consumption

·         Finding out ways to minimize energy consumption.

·         Listing inefficient energy consuming devices and replacing those with energy efficient devices.

·         Students can make list of activities that can be taken up as a replacement of energy consumption (such as washing clothes manually and not using washing machine, walking and not using tread-mills etc. etc.!)

·         Finding the efficiency of cookstove at home using water boiling test

·         Finding energy consumed per typical meal of a region

·         Energy consumed per bath in cold climate( estimation of water per bath say 40 litre, then enrgy required to get it heated upto a particular temperature), Estimation of enrgy to pump water (KWh/litre) to storage tanks

·         comparison of energy per hour for lighting by IL, CFL, hurricane lantern, LPG mantle lamp, solar lantern etc

·         comparision of energy consumed per km distance per person  traveled by, car, bus, cycle etc

·         comparison or cost estimation of energy in agriculture end use particularly water pumping, 

·         estimation of energy for thermal comfort such as w/h for fan, cooler, Ac. In colder climate w/h and Rs/h for various heating options indigenous as well as modern

·         Students can make trip to the local industry and understand the energy consumption pattern of specific industries.

 Teachers and Students are urged to participate in Children Science Congress as it is a great hands on learning experience.