950 science labs in govt-run secondary schools to be upgraded
According to a directive dated August 9, sent to the district inspectors of schools (DIOSs), a copy of which is with HT, for a group of 40 students, 129 specific items will be purchased for chemistry labs, 139 for life sciences, and 91 for physics labs under this initiative.
PRAYAGRAJ: As many as 950 science laboratories in government-run secondary schools across 42 districts of the state will soon be equipped with new equipment and gadgets worth ₹1 lakh each.
A budget of ₹9 crore in this regard has been released by the state project director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Kanchan Verma, informed officials of the state secondary education department.
This initiative will cover 318 physics laboratories, 319 chemistry laboratories, and 313 biology laboratories in these schools, they added.
According to a directive dated August 9, sent to the district inspectors of schools (DIOSs), a copy of which is with HT, for a group of 40 students, 129 specific items will be purchased for chemistry labs, 139 for life sciences, and 91 for physics labs under this initiative.
A special feature of this move is the inclusion of new equipment for Physics Labs, based on a list prepared by CBSE in accordance with the NCERT syllabus.
For the first time, students will have access to equipment such as telescopes, cameras, barometers, lactometers, electric bells, binoculars, metallic cylinders, spectrometers, hydrometers, and gold leaf electroscopes in their labs.
A committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the respective DIOS to oversee the procurement of materials and equipment in each district. The committee will also include the finance and accounts officer (secondary) and one lecturer each from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, as nominated by the DIOS. This district committee will supervise the purchase of the specified materials and equipment through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, officials said.
The district committee for the purchase of laboratories will be formed by August 25. The list of materials and equipment will be made available to the principals of the schools by August 31. The principals will provide the demand letter accordingly to DIOS concerned by September 10. Material and equipment will have to be made available in the schools by October 31 and information about it will have to be given to the state project director of Samagra Shiksha (secondary) by November 15, as outlined in the directive.
The 42 districts included in this initiative are Agra, Amethi, Barabanki, Bareilly, Bhadohi, Chandauli, Fatehpur, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Hapur, Jaunpur, Kaushambi, Mahoba, Rae Bareli, Saharanpur, Sambhal, Shamli, and Varanasi, among others.