103 Pune ZP Students Set for NASA, ESA and ISRO Visits

PUNE: A major opportunity in science education has opened up for students from Pune district’s Zilla Parishad schools, with 103 students selected for study visits to some of the world’s leading space and astronomy institutions.

Under the programme, 25 students have been selected for a NASA visit, another 25 will be taken to the European Space Agency, while 50 students have been shortlisted for an educational visit to ISRO. A waiting list of 27 students has also been prepared to fill vacancies if any selected candidate is unable to participate.

The selection process was conducted for students studying in Classes 6 to 8 at Zilla Parishad schools across Pune district. Candidates had to clear multiple stages before reaching the final round, making the selection a significant achievement for the students.

A total of 258 students reached the final stage of the selection process. Experts associated with the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics conducted the final examinations on August 4, 5 and 6.

Following the evaluation, the final selection list was handed over by IUCAA professor Bhushan Gadre to Pune Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Gajanan Patil.

Most of the selected students are from Classes 6 and 7, while three Class 8 students have also secured places in the final selection. The three Class 8 students have been selected separately for visits to NASA, ESA and ISRO.

The programme is aimed at taking science education beyond the classroom by giving students an opportunity to understand space research and astronomy through direct exposure. For children studying in rural and Zilla Parishad schools, such visits can provide an opportunity to interact with advanced scientific institutions and gain a broader understanding of careers in science and technology.

The initiative also reflects the role of educational programmes that connect school-level learning with practical exposure. Visits to NASA, ESA and ISRO could give the selected students an opportunity to see how space missions, scientific research and technological development are pursued at major institutions.

For Pune’s Zilla Parishad schools, the selection of 103 students is being seen as an encouraging step towards creating greater interest in science among students from rural areas. The programme could also motivate other students to explore astronomy, space technology and scientific research as future career options.

The selection details and programme arrangements will determine the next stage of the students’ international and national educational visits. Official sources currently available confirm the role of ISRO as India’s national space agency and IUCAA as an autonomous UGC institution focused on astronomy and astrophysics, while the specific travel schedule for the selected Pune students was not independently available in the sources reviewed.