Maharashtra Govt Launches Science Talent Initiative; Top Students To Visit ISRO And NASA
Maharashtra Govt Launches Science Talent Initiative; Top Students To Visit ISRO And NASA
Pune, May 11, 2026: The Maharashtra government has introduced the “Chief Minister Students’ Science Tour” programme under the School Education and Sports Department to encourage scientific learning and innovation among students across the state.
Under the newly announced initiative, students who perform exceptionally well in science exhibitions will receive educational exposure visits to prominent scientific institutions, including science centres within Maharashtra, the Indian Space Research Organisation in Bengaluru, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the United States.
The scheme, announced through a government resolution issued on May 6, has been designed in accordance with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes experiential learning, scientific temperament, innovation, artificial intelligence, and computational thinking among students.
According to the plan, six students from every taluka-level science exhibition will be selected for educational visits to nearby science centres. In total, 2,148 students, along with 20 science teachers and supervisors, are expected to participate in the programme.
The state government has approved financial assistance of up to ₹20,000 per participant for these visits through funds allocated by the District Planning and Development Councils (DPDCs).
At the district level, 180 outstanding students from primary and secondary schools including participants from general, tribal, and specially-abled categories will be shortlisted for a study visit to ISRO. The government has sanctioned expenditure of up to ₹35,000 per student for the ISRO tour.
District-level selection committees led by Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads will supervise the selection process.
The government has also approved a budget of ₹3.30 crore for the NASA educational tour programme, with expenses capped at ₹6 lakh per participant.
Implementation and coordination of the initiative will be jointly handled by the State Council of Educational Research and Training and the State Science Education Institute.
