Maharashtra Govt Plans To Send 51 Students Annually To NASA Under ‘Chief Minister Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari’ Scheme

Maharashtra Government to Send 51 Students Annually to NASA

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has announced plans to send 51 students every year to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States. This initiative was shared by Minister of State for School Education, Pankaj Bhoyar, on Thursday.

About the Proposal

According to the proposal, students who secure top positions in various levels of science project competitions will be rewarded with special educational trips:

• The top 21 projects from tehsil-level competitions will earn students a visit to a science centre within their division.
• The top 51 projects from district-level competitions will be rewarded with a trip to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters in Bengaluru.
• Meanwhile, 51 state-level finalists will get the opportunity to visit NASA under the “Chief Minister Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari” scheme.

“The school education department organizes science project competitions at the tehsil, district, and state levels. While prizes are awarded to winners, many students who don’t win also put in great effort. We want to recognize their hard work too, and that is the motivation behind this plan,” said Bhoyar.

Funding and Approval Status

An official from the school education department explained that tours at the tehsil and district levels will be funded by the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC). However, the NASA trip, which involves a total cost of Rs 3 crore, requires state-level approval.

Although Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reportedly cleared the plan in June 2025, the scheme is still awaiting the release of funds. “We are waiting for the funds to be cleared soon,” the official added.

Objectives of the Scheme

The primary aim of this initiative is to motivate students to deepen their interest in science. “We want students to go beyond completing one project and to pursue further scientific research. This will enable students across Maharashtra to visit prominent science centres and inspire them to think of bigger ideas for the future,” said Bhoyar.

Additional Incentives

In a related move, the government recently increased the prize money for winners of the state-level competition from Rs 5,000 to Rs 51,000, further encouraging innovation and scientific exploration among students.

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https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/maharashtra-govt-plans-to-send-51-students-annually-to-nasa-under-chief-minister-vidyarthi-vigyan-vari-scheme