As per the India Skills Report 2020, India is aiming to be a $5 Trillion economy over the next few years with a strong digital leap. The prevalent gaps between the present talent pools and the new age jobs are of key concern. The employability of India’s youth has remained stagnant for the past three years. The demand for engineers is only expected to be on the rise. To bridge this gap, an early intervention is required.

It is to overcome these challenges and to meet the demands of a populous nation, STEM Learning has been working since 2011 with government schools, with a focus on the children in remote & rural areas. The rural child population accounts for 74.05% as per the Census 2011; this number highlights the importance of providing a quality education to the students. Besides introducing learning aids and relentlessly working with the under-served children, STEM has also organized a national event for these children to showcase their talent.

For the first time ever, government school students participated in a national event during the ‘National STEM Awards’ held in February 2020. The competition spanned over a period of a month and the final round was held in Bengaluru. The competition was held at the Cluster, Zonal and National rounds for students of standard 6th-8th.

Steps were taken to introduce the young minds of the rural pockets of India to mainstream’s new technology and ready them for a future career opportunity. The students proved their mettle in competitions such as Engineering Tinkering, Model Making and Tech Quiz. The government school students beamed as they were awarded were awarded prizes and participatory certificates.

With an aim to change the current situation and achieve the targets for the economy, STEM Learning, along with its CSR partner Brillio, is set to organize the Second Edition of the ‘National STEM Program 2020-21′. This program is for Government and Government aided schools only. Mr Abhishek Ranjan, the Sustainability Director of Brillio, said, “Brillio is exited to launch a nationwide STEM program that not only engages the children from rural areas but also fosters curiosity, innovation, and design thinking.” In the face of the current pandemic and its challenges, to ensure the students’ minds are ignited and to continue to build their interest in STEM, the changing learning environment has been adapted through virtual competitions.

This virtual program includes Science and Maths Model Competition, Tech Quiz and Engineering Tinkering. The activity will be conducted every Thursday from 2-3 pm over a Zoom call. Students will be awarded on a weekly basis on successful completion of the activities. This weekly engagement will ensure students keep building on their strong foundation in the STEM field.

The Founder of STEM Learning, Mr. Ashutosh Pandit is exhilarated with the onset of the 2nd edition of the ‘National STEM Program’ after a victorious first year. He exclaimed, “Once again we will see the students place their creative and innovative foot forward in various competitions demonstrating their zeal towards STEM education, thus elevating the standard of the competition despite the current scenario.”

STEM Learning’s mission is to upgrade the STEM Education in schools across India and provide a holistic learning environment. STEM Learning aspires to make the most of the current scenario and will leave no stone unturned to showcase young talent in STEM fields at the national level.