Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan
About Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan
Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) is an initiative of the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) to popularize science, mathematics and technology among school students. While emphasising the primacy of the schools and classroom transactions, the RAA aims to leverage the potential for science, mathematics and technology learning in non-classroom settings. Beyond the four walls of a classroom, opportunities for science, mathematics and technology learning abound. Accordingly, the RAA is planned to provide nourishing and nurturing support to and a platform for schools in a dual track approach to make Science, Mathematics and Technology exciting to children and encourage them to have an enduring interest both inside classroom and outside classroom activities. The objectives of this RAA programme is (i) to enable children to become motivated and engaged in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, rational reasoning, testability etc. (ii) to create curiosity, excitement and exploration among school children in Science, Mathematics and Technology. (iii) to create a culture of thinking, inventing, tinkering and doing to promote enquiry based learning in Schools. RAA will target students in the age group of 6-18 years and in turn the execution of RAA will span across MHRD’s schematic interventions of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the Department of School Education & Literacy and programmes and schemes of Department of Higher Education to encourage Science, Mathematics & Technology. NIT Durgapur is a mentoring institute along with IIT Kharagpur and IISER Kolkata for RAA for the state of West Bengal. In collaboration with Govt. of West Bengal, Paschim Banga Samagra Shiksha Mission, NIT Durgapur prepare a plan for promotion of science and mathematics among the school students of the state of West Bengal.
Science Museum
NIT Durgapur already established a small science museum in its campus to facilitate the experimental facilities for the school kids of Durgapur city and nearby remote villages. The museum is equipped with various school level experiments relating to physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and geology. The biology section has display of human skeleton, taxidermy of lizards, snakes, shark etc. cross section of starch under microscope etc. Geology section includes display of different fossils, rocks and minerals along with their composition. Physics section has interesting experiments such as fundamental experiments on optics, magnetism, electricity and electronics. The museum also explore about basic experiments on the environmental science and weather science (weather monitoring system). Chemistry section consists of basic experiments on forensic science and many more. The science museum has a telescope to view the night sky. Achraya Prafulla Chandra Science Museum was inaugurated on November 11, 2018 by R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, MHRD, Govt. of India and Shri K. Ananthkrishnan, Executive Vice President and CTO, TCS. Altogether 40 school students and 8 school teachers from various schools such as Nutandanga High School, Andal Village High School, DAV Model School, Durgapur, Pravananda Vidya Mandir, Durgapur, Guru Teg Bahadur Public School, Durgapur Vidyasagar Model School, DICV Public High School, Sagarbhanga High School, Durgapur RE College Model School, Bidhanngar Govt. Sponsored Girls’ High School, Sagar Bhanga High School, Bidhannagar Govt. Sponsored Boys’ High School, Nadiha Bribhanpur High School, Bihari More Education Project participated in this programme. These students displayed 15 models developed by them.
Low cost experimental set up
Moreover, NIT Durgapur along with Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha developed few portable low cost experimental kit for school level experiments on basic sciences. 20 low cost experimental kit have been developed by Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancho. This includes the experiments and model of basic science such as existence of air pressure, surface tension, reflection and refraction of light, advection and diffusion, Torricelli’s experiments, bouncy, combustion process requires oxygen etc.
TLM for Mathematics
NIT Durgapur also developed a Teaching Learning Material on School Level Mathematics. This consists of 20 items that include cut-outs with cuboid of various shapes, an innovative geo board, Trigonometric Circle Board, Pythagoras Theorem Square with 5 cut-outs, Algebraic tiles etc.
Science Fair
NIT Durgapur also conducted Science Fair on last November 3, 2018. The programme includes competition on scientific model developed by school students, painting competition based on scientific theme, popular talk by eminent speakers. 42 school students along with 12 school teachers participated in that science fair. 10 models such as vacuum cleaner, bio gas plant, and wastewater treatment plant etc. were developed by the standard VIII and IX school students. 21 school kids also participated in drawing competition which was based on the scientific theme.
Night sky observation Programme
Moreover a dedicated programme for night sky observation was also made with help of Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha during February 8-10, 2018. 700 students, faculty members, staff members and their family members gathered to observe the night sky. NIT Durgapur has a dedicated Telescope for this purpose.
Collection of Scientific Books
More than 70 valuable and scientific books such as ‘What are the Stars’, ‘Can Star Find Peace?’, ‘Delhi Iron Pillar: New Inside’, ‘The Iconography of water....’, ‘Vikram Sarabhai: A life’, ‘Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters’, ‘Journey through Genius: The Great Theorems of Mathematics’ etc. were procured for enhancement of the awareness of Scientific thought among school students and teachers.
Teachers Training Workshop
A “Teachers Training Workshop” was organised at NIT Durgapur campus by Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) team and Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha on February 01, 2019. Around 40 teachers from 40 different schools of Purba Burdwan and Pachim Burdwan participated on the said workshop. Eminent resources personnel such as Prof. P.K. Joshi, Senior Scientist, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Prof. Naba Kumar Mondal, Raja Ramanna Fellow, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata;; Dr. S. C. Samanta, Retired Faculty, Dept. of Physics, Midnapore College; Dr. Bidhan Kumar Bhaumik (Retired Scientist, BARC), Secretary, Anurana Science Awareness Society, Kolkata; Dr. Anirban Mukherjee from IIT Kharagpur; Sri Abhijit Bardhan from Science Communicators’ Foram, Kolkata, Rampranaya Gangully from Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancho and others delivered the invited talk and demonstrated some scientific experiments by easy way and low cost accessories. A huge response was noted from the participants in the interaction secession on that day. All the participants also visited the science museum at NIT Durgapur.
Committee of Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA)
Core Committee
  • Dr. Hirok Chaudhuri, Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Coordinator
  • Prof. Pathik Kumbhakar, Professor, Physics Department, (Coordinator of Physics Group) Member
  • Dr. Milan Maji, Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, (Coordinator of Chemistry Group) Member
  • Dr. Sudit Sekhar Mukhopadhyay, Associate Professor, Biotechnology Department (Coordinator of Biology Group) Member
  • Dr. Anita Pal, Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department, (Coordinator of Mathematics Group) Member
  • Prof. Partha Pratim Gupta, Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, NIT Durgapur Invitee Member
  • Prof. Nilotpal Banerjee, Dean Alumni Affairs and Outreach Invitee Member
  • Mr. Rampranay Gangully, Member of Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancho, Durgapur Zone and Retd. Technical Staff, NIT Durgapur Invitee Member
  • Mr. Srikanta Chattopadhaya, Secretary, Durgapur Vigyan Kendra and Retd. Head Teacher, Amrai High School (HS), Durgapur Invitee Member
  • Dr. Bidhan Bhowmik, Coordinator Anuranan Science Awareness Society, Kolkata and Former Scientist VECC, Kolkata Invitee Member
Physics Group
  • Prof. Pathik Kumbhakar, Professor, Physics Department, Coordinator
  • Dr. Amit Kumar Chakroborty, Associate Professor, Physics Department, Member
  • Dr. S. Sahoo, Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Member
  • Dr. Aniruddha Mondal, Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Member
  • Dr. Subhrabrata Choudhury, Associate Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Member
  • Dr. Parimal Acharjee, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, Member
  • Dr. Nirmal Baran Hui, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Member
  • Prof. Rowdra Ghatak, Professor, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department,
  • Dr. Sandip Mondal, Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies Department Member
  • Dr. Rajat Sarkar, Technical Assistant, Physics Department, Member
  • Mr. Tapas Das, Sr. Technical Assistant, Electronics and Communication Engineering Dept. Member
Mathematics Group
  • Dr. Anita Pal, Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department, Coordinator
  • Dr. Sarit Maitra, Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department, Member
  • Dr. Samarjit Kar, Associate Professor, Mathematics Department, Member
  • Dr. Seema Sarkar (Mondal), Associate Professor, Mathematics Department, Member
  • Dr. Deepanwita Das, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Member
  • Dr. Nanda Dulal Jana, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Member
  • Dr. Suvrojit Das, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Member
  • Dr. Sujoy Saha, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Member
Chemistry Group
  • Dr. Milan Maji, Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Coordinator
  • Dr. Jitamanyu Chakrabarty, Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, Member
  • Dr. Rajnarayan Saha, Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Member
  • Dr. Sujit Sankar Panja, Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, Member
  • Dr. Gopinath Halder, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, Member
  • Dr. Mrinal Kaniti Mandal, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, Member
  • Dr. Supriya Pal, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Member
  • Dr. Bimal Das, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, Member
Biology Group
  • Dr. Sudit Sekhar Mukhopadhyay, Associate Professor, Biotechnology Department, Coordinator
  • Dr. Subhankar Roy Barman, Assistant Professor, Biotechnology Department, Member
  • Dr. Kaustav Aikat, Associate Professor, Biotechnology, Member
  • Dr. Surabhi Chaudhuri, Associate Professor, Biotechnology Department, Member
  • Prof. Apurba Dey, Professor, Biotechnology Department, Member
  • Dr. Sufia Khannam Kazy, Assistant Professor, Biotechnology Department, Member
Supportive Staff Committee
  • Dr. Soumen Basu, Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Member
  • Dr. Kaushik Mandal, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Management Studies, Member
  • Mr. Soumitra Bandopadhyay, Sr. Superintendent, Central Library, Member
  • Mrs. Rupali Datta, Sr. Assistant, Establishment Section, Member
  • Mr. Timir Baran Galui, Academic Section, Member
  • Mr. Tuhin Dutta, Sr. Technical Assistance, Workshop, Member
  • Mr. Chiranjit Maji, Ph. D student, Physics Department, Member
  • Mr. Saroj Khutia, Ph. D student, Physics Department, Member
  • Miss. Kankana Seal, Ph. D student, Physics Department, Member

Co-ordinator, Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan Programme, NIT Durgapur

Dr. Hirok Chaudhuri
Associate Professor
Department of Physics, NIT Durgapur
Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Durgapur-713 209
Email: hchaudhuri.phy@nitdgp.ac.in