The Knowledge train

Dr.C.M.Seth
Science Express is a unique innovative experiment of Government of Germany and Government of India to provide scientific knowledge to the students and the civil society in India through a knowledge train which moves from station to station all over India to cover rural and urban cities. The train has 16 AC coaches equipped with scientific exhibition on different themes like Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change, etc. It has been travelling across India successfully for the past seven years. The train was flagged off on 30 October 2007 by the then  Prime Minister of India, Dr.Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. After its flag off on 30 October 2007, Science Express showcased the fascinating world of science, groundbreaking discoveries, cutting-edge science & future-oriented technologies through interactive exhibits, models & videos created by Noble laureates of Max Planck Society, Germany.
From 2007 to 2015 the exhibition train has covered over 1,22,000 km across the country, receiving more than 1.33 crore visitors at its 391 halts, in 1404 days. Science Express has thus become the largest, the longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition in India which has created six Limca Book of Records in its journey so far.
Science Express is a joint project of Ministry of Science and Technology, National Council for Science and Technology Communication and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change GoI. The project is implemented by the Centre of Environment Education (CEE) Ahmedabad, a United Nations recognized environmental NGO and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre. In Jammu and Kashmir, CEET India (J&K) is the partner for its implementation for the last three years.
Themes of Science Express covered so far are Bing Bang, Nanocosmos, Building Blocks of Life, From Gene to Organism, Architecture of Mind,  World of Senses, Sensors, From Data to Knowledge, Global Challenges, Spaceship Earth, Our Home in the Cosmos and The Universe. It has always been a great learning experience to students to know about cutting-edge science and technology through exhibits, models and audio-visual displays put up in the coaches of Science Express.
With United Nations declaration of the current decade (2011-2020) as Decade on Biodiversity and India holding Chair of the Conference of Parties (COP 11) to Convention of Biological Diversity during 2012, Science Express was redesigned on the theme ‘Biodiversity’. It was a unique collaboration between Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Govt. of India. From 2012-2014, it travelled as Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS). The state-of-the-art exhibition aboard SEBS created widespread awareness on unique biodiversity of India, climate change and related issues among various sections of society, especially students. Out of the 16 coaches, 8 coaches were solely dedicated to showcasing the myriad biodiversity spread across the bio-geographical zones of India like Trans-Himalaya & Himalaya, the Gangetic Plain, North-East India, the Western Ghats, the Indian Desert, the Semi-Arid Zone, the Deccan Peninsula, the Coasts and the Islands. Rest of the coaches covered the themes of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Water, Sustainable Environment and Energy Conservation. In the second part of the coach on Energy Conservation, DST’s panels on Science Education in India were placed.
For Climate Change, 2015 was a landmark year, when leaders of 190 nations gathered in Paris and signed a new global agreement on Climate Change . During this year the appropriated theme selected was Climate Change. Thus, “Science Express” was redesigned as SECAS, intending  to contribute towards increasing understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and different possible responses. Earlier three phases of ”Science Express” covered the theme ‘Biodiversity of India’ to show its concern about Biodiversity conservation and from 2015 the focus was shifted to the theme ‘Climate Change’ as it will affect the biodiversity of not just India but the entire globe as well and also match with the Paris declaration.
Of the 16 coaches of SECAS, exhibition in 8 coaches is exclusively devoted to information, case studies and material related to various aspect of Climate change, the underlying science, impacts, adaptation activities, mitigation solutions and policy approaches in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting for not just school students but also the masses. The broad themes covered in the exhibition coaches are Understanding Climate Change, Impact of Climate Change,Adaptation, Mitigation, International Negotiations on Climate Change , Handprint, Exhibition put up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India, covering themes like Biotechnology for bio-resources and nature conservation with emphasis on Tiger Conservation and Chemical Ecology and India’s research and development initiatives in field of Biotechnology, Exhibition put up by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) showcasing select innovations, demonstrating the ingenuity of common people and an innovative project which uses augmented reality techniques. Exhibition on themes like Innovations in S&T, Science Education, DST Scholarships & Schemes, Careers in S&T, etc.
Handprint is a unique idea given by India to rest of the world for positive actions in environment conservation as compared to western world which believes in destruction of natural environment and thus creating FootPrint. HandPrint coach exhibits what can one do at school, on roads, at home and in offices and focus on concept of lifestyle choices with the key message ‘Increase your Handprint. Decrease your Footprint’.
Science Express also has on-board a Kids Zone, Joy of Science Lab and Teachers Orientation-cum-Discussion Centre. Like last year this year also best paintings selected at national level has been displayed on the train windows. Best paintings of the students from Bhartiya Vidya Mandir High school Udhampur, Heritage School and MV International School Samba have been displayed.
SECAS in its first phase has travelled in 20 States, covering about 19,800 km. In second phase again it istravelling from the month of October 2016 to April 2017. The exhibition will convey a strong message about Climate Change and will also be a good opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion among students, teachers and civil society.
In Jammu and Kashmir, in the year 2014 Science Express was stationed at Udhampur and Bajalta railway stations where more than 15000 students and other visitors from ten districts of Jammu province visited the train and took benefit of the knowledge train. In the year 2015, train was stationed at Udhampur and Samba railway stations when more than 8000 students and teachers visited the SE train. In the year 2016, Science Express shall be stationed at Katra and Udhampur railway stations from 26th October to 29th October. At Katra SE shall stay for two days on 26th and 27th October and at Udhampur the train shall stop for two days on 28th and 29th October. Students from schools, colleges and universities are expected to take full benefit of this Science Express Climate Change Special train.
Experience of last three years indicate that there has not been an active participation of Education Department to take maximum benefit of this train by allowing government schools to visit this train. Government schools do not have funds to pay for the buses fare to bring the students of their schools and colleges and many schools miss the opportunity to visit the train. This year it is expected that higher authorities in education department will issue instructions to all CEOs to ensure maximum participation of the students. Presence of concerned departments of J&K Government like Science and technology, Forest, Pollution Control Board, SFRI and Environment and Remote Sensing is almost negligible on the platform. Local administration has very little knowledge and information about the train. In the year 2014, present Forest Minister Ch. Lal Singh who was then the MP of the area came specially to visit the Science Express on last day of its stay at Udhampur railway station without any formal invitation where he took keen interest in the exhibits of train and student activities at the railway station. He stayed for full day interacted with the educators of SE and the local students and in the end distributed prizes to the winners in different competitions. Everybody appreciated him for his presence and encouragement to the students. It is expected that he will take keen interest in this year Science Express visit at Katra and Udhampur by his presence and directing all departments under his control to put their exhibitions at the railway platform to show case the activities of his Ministry for the benefit of students and other visitors.
Science Express is a rare opportunity for everyone especially the students to gain the knowledge from its exhibits and platform activities on different areas of science, technology, environment, Biodiversity and Climate Change. We in J&K should take maximum benefit of this train by visiting the SE at Katra and Udhampur railway stations. Since for the first time the knowledge train is visiting Katra town, it is expected that Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board will come forward and support the visit of school and college students to the train.
(The author is an environmentalist and expert environment educator)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com

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