Srinagar, Dec 6 (JKNS): Government College for Women (GCW) MA Road Srinagar has secured a two-year research grant of ₹15 lakh from the Jammu & Kashmir Science, Technology & Innovation Council (JKST&IC) to roll out an innovative STEM education initiative across border districts of Kashmir.
Details available with news agency JKNS, The project, sanctioned under JKST&IC’s Sponsored Research & Extension Programme 2025–26, is titled “Psychology-Driven STEM Learning to Build Scientific Temper in the Border Villages of Kashmir.” It aims to blend behavioural science with hands-on technology learning to foster scientific curiosity among students in Bandipora (including Gurez), Kupwara and Baramulla, with Srinagar as the programme’s pilot hub.
The initiative is jointly spearheaded by Dr. Eshrat Ara, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, GCW MA Road (Principal Investigator), and Dr. Dinesh Kumar Rajendran, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIT Srinagar (Co-PI). The team said around 120 teachers and student mentors will be trained in interactive STEM modules including drone basics, microcontrollers, low-cost sensors and 3D printing.
Dr. Ara said the project will host pop-up innovation camps expected to directly engage nearly 600 students and indirectly benefit over 6,000 learners in border-area schools. “Our aim is to influence mindsets as much as skill sets by promoting critical thinking and purposeful innovation,” she said.
Dr. Rajendran added that the programme is designed to boost confidence and resilience among students in remote regions. “Innovation starts when children experiment without fear. This model provides both the tools and the belief to use them meaningfully,” he noted.
Principal GCW MA Road, Prof. (Dr.) Yasmeen Farooq, welcomed the grant and praised the project team, saying the initiative aligns with the institution’s commitment to expanding access to quality learning as it completes 75 years. “When behavioural science shapes pedagogy, learning becomes more inclusive and transformative,” she said, encouraging more girls to pursue science and technology. (JKNS)
