Maharashtra plans NASA trips for students under new science scheme

Maharashtra schoolchildren may soon get a chance to travel to NASA each year under a new state initiative aimed at rewarding young science talent.

The Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari scheme, cleared in principle by the government in June 2025, proposes that 51 students annually will be taken on an educational visit to the United States. We are currently awaiting final budget approval for the plan.

Minister of State for School Education Pankaj Bhoyar said the program was created to recognize students who put in strong efforts but do not necessarily win top prizes in competitions.

He explained, "The school education department holds science project competitions at the tehsil, district, and state levels. We give prizes to the winners, but the students who do not win also put in great effort. We want to recognize them too, and that is why this plan was made."

The international trip alone is expected to cost around ₹3 crore. A department official noted that while the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) would cover expenses for domestic tours, overseas travel required state-level approval.

Under the proposed framework, 21 projects from the tehsil level would earn trips to local science centers, 51 district-level winners would visit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru, and 51 state finalists would be awarded the NASA visit.

The scheme is intended to spark scientific curiosity among students and encourage them to look beyond classroom learning.

"The aim of the scheme is to motivate students to continue their interest in science," Bhoyar said.

He added, "We want them to go beyond one project and move further into scientific research. This will allow students from across Maharashtra to visit science centers and think of bigger ideas for the future."

As part of broader reforms, the government also raised the prize money for state-level competition winners from ₹5,000 to ₹51,000 earlier this year.

Officials said once funding is approved, the program could serve as a model for other states looking to nurture scientific ambition among school students.