The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is taking strides to reach out to Indian students and spread the knowledge of space and the Indian space program to every corner of the country. Through the YUVIKA Program, ISRO will reach out to school students, especially from low-income areas, to engage them in space literacy activities and inspire them to pursue space as a career. It aims to bring young minds with great ideas into ISRO to propel it into even bigger space endeavours. 

First, coming to the program itself, YUVIKA 2022 is a residential program for which 150 students will be selected to attend for two weeks during our typical Indian school summer vacation. The exact dates are 16th to 28th of May 2022. The selected students will spend their time immersed in space activities during these two weeks. Taking classes, experimental demonstrations, visiting ISRO facilities and lab visits, discussions with experts and feedback sessions. 

The selection criteria is a comprehensive list of tests for the best students, but there is no need to fear it! Let’s go through the list and look at some tips afterwards!

• Marks obtained in Class VIII examination.
• Participation in science fair (school / district / state & above level organised by school / district / state / Central government authority) in last three years.
• Prize in Olympiad / Science competitions and equivalent (1 to 3 rank in last three years at school/district/state & above level) in last three years.
• Winner of sports competitions conducted by School / Govt. / Institutions / Registered Sports federation (1 to 3 rank in last 3 years at school / district / state & above level) in last three years. The winner of online games will not be considered.
• Member of Scout and guides / NCC / NSS in last three years.
• Performance in an online quiz.
• A special weightage for students studying in a school located in the panchayat area will be provided.

The list is, in fact, quite achievable. It also showcases that schools need to be proactive in organizing or participating in science fairs, Olympiads and competitions. And schools should also never underestimate sports and keep students active and healthy throughout their education. Therefore students who are active with their studies, extracurriculars and health will be the best candidates for this program, of course in addition to an intense love for space. This will be tested by the quiz to be taken online right after filling out a registration form. 

There is some more amazing information about the program that one must not miss out on! Every state/ union territory will have a minimum participation quota distributed almost equally. The program will take place at the same time in five different ISRO centres: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru, Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad and North-East Space Application Centre (NE-SAC), Shillong. The entirety of the program expenses will be borne by ISRO, including travel, lodging, food, course materials, etc. Also included will be the travel fare for one parent/guardian to accompany the student to and from the centre. 

Registration for YUVIKA -2022

The registration process for YUVIKA – 2022 includes a total of four steps. Here we have copy-pasted all the required steps from the ISRO website, so you will not be confused!

STEP 1: E-mail Registration for YUVIKA- 2022.

STEP 2: Read the quiz instructions. Appear in the online quiz within 48 hours of e-mail registration for YUVIKA – 2022.

STEP 3: Login to the YUVIKA portal minimum after 60 minutes from quiz submission and fill in all the information correctly. Submit the online application form and download the submitted form.

STEP 4: Upload the signed copy and all the required certificates before the last date of registration. 

In case of any doubt or clarification, refer to “Frequently Asked Questions”.

Now that the steps are discussed let’s look at some important dates. While the registrations opened quite a while ago, this article is to remind you of the closing date, which is the 10th of April, 2022, at 4 PM Indian Standard Time. So make sure you start today to make it on time for the application closing! Within ten days of the last date, on the 20th of April, a provisional selection list will be announced.

With less than a week to go for submitting applications, let’s take a look at what the program is all about and get some tips on acing admission.

Prepare the basics of space science and the history of ISRO for your quiz. Don’t worry, and be confident with your answers. If it is a parent reading this, encourage your child and tell them to keep focused during the quiz~

Even if you don’t have all the requirements met for this year, don’t be disheartened! Take this list and the experiences they ask for and build on them for participating next year! Remember that this is only the first year, and the program will only improve in upcoming years.

Overall, this program will let the students of our country know what ISRO does and hopefully make them fall in love with space exploration and sciences. By learning from this experience, the students will grow to join the Indian space program with their novel ideas and approaches and establish India as an even bigger space power.