IIT Gandhinagar organises camp for higher secondary, UG students from Gujarat’s rural district

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) conducted a three-day exposure camp on higher education opportunities for about 26 students of Chhota Udepur, a rural tribal district in Gujarat. The residential workshop was designed to inform students pursuing their higher secondary and undergraduate studies in Chhota Udepur, about various higher education opportunities and different career streams across disciplines.

The workshop was hosted by the Humanities and Social Science discipline of IITGN from May 20 to 22, 2022, in collaboration with a local educational organization based in Chhota Udepur and the Azim Premji University. It was inaugurated by Professor Kabeer Jasuja, Dean of Academic Affairs, IITGN.

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The students spent three days at the Institute campus interacting with professors and students of IITGN and Azim Premji University, visiting labs and library, and enjoying a tour of the IITGN campus. In addition, the workshop also invited several speakers from diverse professional backgrounds, who interacted with students on various aspects and choices of higher education.

These speakers included a theatre artist from Whistleblower Theatre Group of Ahmedabad, a professor from a law college, a journalist, a design student from NIFT Gandhinagar, a public policy researcher from IIM Ahmedabad, and an alumnus of IITGN working for the Gujarat METRO. They introduced students to their work, educational journey, and opportunities in their respective career fields. Students also visited the Centre for Creative Learning (CCL) lab and worked with their team on various hands-on Science and Math activities.

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Professor Nishaant Choksi, Assistant Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences at IITGN and Organiser of this workshop, said, “It was a pleasure having these students here at the Institute. They can do wonders with appropriate guidance and opportunities. It was a learning experience not only for them but also for us.”

The workshop ended with follow up sessions on the third day, which saw students reflecting on their choices for higher education. Sharing his thoughts, one of the students said, “Before coming to the workshop by IIT Gandhinagar, I was not aware of the kind of opportunities that existed for us. There was no one to guide us, but now I have a lot to think about and explore.”