SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
Under the NE-SPARKS initiative, four batches of students from the eight Northeastern states (totaling 394 students: 189 male, 205 female) have completed immersive visits to premier ISRO centres. These visits exposed students to satellite integration, space technologies, and interactions with ISRO scientists. The Union Minister of DoNER met with around 100 students to hear feedback and reaffirm the governmentβs vision of inclusion. The next batches are being planned jointly with state governments and educational institutions, with an overall outreach target of 800 students.
NE-SPARKS bridges regional and aspirational gaps by offering high-fidelity STEM exposure in Indiaβs most remote regions. It fosters talent pipelines from underserved geographies into science and space sectors, aligning with national goals of equitable opportunity and scientific capacity building.
NE-SPARKS stands for Northeast Space Applications for Promoting Awareness and Research in Kids and Students. It is a student outreach initiative launched by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) in collaboration with ISRO (through its North Eastern Space Applications Centre β NESAC).
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India institutionalize such immersive STEM exposure (beyond episodic visits) - integrating local curriculum, mentorship, and continuous support - to sustain science ambition and career progression in the Northeast?
Follow the full news here: PIB Release β NE-SPARKS Visits Completed