School students gather to script world record

School students gather to script world record

Nearly 2000 students from schools across the national capital assembled at the sprawling laws of IIT Delhi on Monday to conduct 'the largest practical science lesson' to script a new world record for the Guinness Book. 

At present, world record is held by a group of 1,339 Irish school pupils. The event was organised by Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), country's largest science movement, as part of the December 4 to 8 India International Science Festival (IISF) 2015 which is being jointly organised by the Ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences. 

"Two thousand bright young students are going to participate in the record-breaking science experiment and it has already set a lot of tongue wagging," said Union HRD minister Smriti Irani. 

Delighted over the initiative, Irani said such festivals should be organised in all the states. 

"Hopefully, 6-7 months down the line, we would be able to make even a bigger attempt at the world record by assembling 20,000 students at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi," she said. 

Earth and Science minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan congratulated the students for the 'mega event'. 

"I am excited like you. I am sure you will succeed and make the country proud," he said. 

"You have the blessings of our Prime Minister who has immense faith in you and the youth of the country. The PM believes that our youth can bring glory to India. They have huge potential to become professionals like engineers, scientists and doctors and create new innovations to mitigate the hardships of the people," he noted in his address. 

"All students conducted the experiment successfully. We will be sending the result to the Guinness Book this evening. Hopefully, the final result would come in three-four days," said A. Jayakumar, Secretary General, VIBHA. 

There are three independent observes for the event who will send their report to me which will be forwarded to the Guinness Book, said Prof. K. Girish Kumar, senior professor of chemistry in Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in Kerala, who coordinated the mega event. 

He said, "If our students succeed, the record holders will be Vijnana Bharati." 

"We did it. The experiment went well for all of us. The record is ours," said Lokesh Mohanti, a 17-year-old student of National Public School. 

Neatly attired in their white lab-coat, the students conducted two science practical related to catalysis, a process which makes chemical reactions faster without any additional input of energy. The process is extensively used in the manufacture of some 90 per cent products that the world uses today. 

A major feature of the exercise was 'Elephant Tooth Experiment' in which hydrogen peroxide underwent catalytic decomposition in the presence of iodide, resulting in the liberation of a large amount of oxygen and foaming up to resemble a giant toothpaste being squeezed. The other experiment was discoloration of methylene blue by hydrogen peroxide. Huge screens were set up for the students to conduct the practical. Five students each shared a table with equipments and chemicals. 

There were 40 stewards to observe students' work, who would be witnesses to affirm that students did complete the experiment successfully. The largest practical science lesson before this event was conducted at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast on February 24 this year. 

As per the Guinness Book of Records, 1,339 primary school students of 7th and 8th standard from Belfast participated in a mass chromatography practical. That effort was supported and conducted by The Royal Society of Chemistry, London. Those who spoke on the occasion included Dr Vijay P. Bhatkar, President of VIBHA and Chairman, Board of Directors, IIT Delhi; and Dr Kshitij Gupta, Director, IIT Delhi.

Source | http://www.thestatesman.com/news/delhi/school-students-gather-to-script-world-record/109183.html

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