Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Apr 25: The Goa government has launched the “Taare Zameen Par” mobile 360-degree digital planetarium and STEM education outreach programme aimed at promoting scientific curiosity among students through immersive learning.
Rolled out on April 15 by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the initiative will be implemented across rural PM SHRI schools, with focus on government institutions.
Sawant said the programme seeks to move beyond textbook-based education and foster scientific temperament, curiosity and critical thinking among students.
The outreach features an inflatable mobile planetarium equipped with advanced digital projection systems, offering interactive astronomy sessions for students.
It also includes hands-on STEM kits designed to promote a learning-by-doing approach and help students better understand science and technology concepts through practical exposure.
The programme, envisaged to cover schools across Goa, particularly in remote and underserved areas, will operate through a dedicated mobile bus to improve access to science education.
Programme mentor and science communicator Rohit Nikam said the initiative, under the “Sparks of Curiosity” outreach, aims to bring astronomy and science closer to students through interactive experiences.
He said the 360-degree digital planetarium offers rural students access to experiences usually limited to science centres, while curriculum-based exhibits and activities such as water rocket launches add practical value.
According to Nikam, the programme has already reached nearly one crore people across India, including in Punjab and border areas of Kashmir.
Teachers who attended the sessions said the initiative had enhanced students’ understanding of science through visual and experiential learning.
Gauravi Naik of Utkarsh High School, Rivona, said around 50 students attended the session and gained practical understanding of topics such as stars and the solar system.
Shivani Lolayekar of Government High School, Zambaulim, said the programme had boosted students’ interest in science by helping them visualise space-related concepts more effectively.