ISRO’s YUVIKA 2025: A Launchpad for Aspiring Space Enthusiasts

Defence News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its annual Young Scientist Programme, YUVIKA 2025, to ignite a passion for space science among Class 9 students across India. The 12-day residential program commenced on May 19, 2025, and will run until May 30, 2025, across seven ISRO centres, including Ahmedabad.

Quick Highlights

• Program Name: Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) 2025
• Duration: May 19–30, 2025
• Participants: Class 9 students from across India
• Locations: ISRO centres in Dehradun, Thiruvananthapuram, Sriharikota, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Shillong
• Inauguration: By Shri V. Narayanan, Secretary-DOS and Chairman-ISRO
• Keynote Presentation: By Shri Nilesh M. Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad
• Activities: Lectures, hands-on workshops, educational visits, drone demonstrations, and DIY rocket launching

YUVIKA 2025 is designed to provide young students with a comprehensive understanding of space science and technology. The program includes interactive lectures by senior and young scientists from ISRO and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), hands-on workshops, and educational visits to premier institutes.

In Ahmedabad, students will visit the Space Applications Centre (SAC), PRL, Calorx Foundation Experiment Lab, and the Community Science Centre (CSC). They will also be able to observe celestial bodies at the observatory in Guru Shikhar, Mount Abu.

Students were selected based on a combination of academic performance and extracurricular achievements: Mahatma Gandhi Medical College

• Academic Performance: Marks obtained in Class 8 examination (50% weightage)
• Online Quiz: Performance in an online quiz (10% weightage)
• Science Fair Participation: Participation in science fairs at school, district, state, or national level in the last three years (2-10% weightage)
• Olympiad Rankings: Rank in Olympiads or equivalent competitions (2-5% weightage)
• Sports Achievements: Winners of sports competitions at various levels (2-5% weightage)
• Community Service: Active membership in Scouts and Guides, NCC, or NSS within the last three years (5% weightage)
• Rural Representation: Students studying in village or rural schools located in Panchayat areas (15% weightage)

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