July 10, 2025: A total of 13,671 students from across Pune district appeared for the first stage of a written examination conducted on Saturday, July 5, as part of the Curious Rural Student Exposure Programme — a joint initiative by the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
The programme, launched through an MoU signed on April 25, is aimed at sparking scientific interest among rural students by offering once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to visit prestigious space agencies like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Washington, D.C.
Multi-Stage Selection Process Underway
Out of 16,121 registered students from ZP schools in Classes 6 and 7, 13,671 took the multiple-choice format test conducted offline at 141 exam centres across Pune district.
“This is the first of three stages,” said Sameer Dhurde, Scientific Officer at IUCAA. “The second test will be conducted online on July 19, followed by personal interviews. Eventually, 75 students will be selected — 50 will visit ISRO, while 25 will travel to NASA.”
A Year-Long Scientific Journey
Beyond the competitive selection process, the programme offers a year-long enrichment experience. Selected students will participate in hands-on science workshops, interactive sessions with experts, guided visits to science centres, and other activities designed to deepen their understanding of space and science.
Officials from both Pune Zilla Parishad and IUCAA expressed pride in the massive response from rural students and reaffirmed their commitment to creating transformative educational opportunities outside conventional classroom boundaries.