Young innovators took center stage at the STEM Fusion: Workshop and Student Exhibition, held at the State Convention Centre. Organized by the North East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Smart Village Movement (SVM) and IISER Pune, the event drew participation from over 400 students and 80 teachers from across Meghalaya. A total of 95 innovative projects were showcased, tackling real-world challenges and bringing science and innovation to life.
Honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, attended as the Chief Guest and lauded the young participants:
“This initiative is a commendable effort to foster innovation and a healthy spirit of competition among students. We must create more opportunities for our students to explore and excel in science and technology. I would like to see mandatory visits to the NECTAR Lab so that every student gets exposure to innovation at an early age. Along with this, we must work towards setting up more STEM labs like NECTAR across the state.”
The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of competitions, science innovation programmes at the district level, and a potential “Lab on Wheels” initiative to extend STEM learning opportunities to rural schools. He further urged the Education Department to create an annual calendar of exhibitions, competitions, and inter-district exchanges to build student confidence and nurture talent.
Highlighting the importance of STEM education, Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General, NECTAR, encouraged students to explore the wide range of DIY activities at the STEM Lab. Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya, reflected on the state’s youth potential, emphasizing how Smart Village Movement’s Triple Helix Model (initiated in 2019) can connect innovations with real-world solutions for Meghalaya’s local challenges.
The SVM Education Lead, Divine Dkhar, added:
“The projects showcased today were truly innovative, addressing challenges such as waste management, artificial intelligence, and smart farming. Their creativity and problem-solving approach are very encouraging for the future of our state.”
Competition Highlights
The exhibition featured projects across three categories—Grades 3–9, Grades 10–12, and Undergraduate/Postgraduate. Winners received exciting prizes, including cash awards announced by the Chief Minister: ₹2 lakh for first place, ₹1 lakh for second place, ₹50,000 for third place, and ₹10,000 each for participants.
- Grades 3–9 Winners:
- 1st: Lady Keane Higher Secondary School
- 2nd: Sharon Memorial School
- 3rd: Army Public School 101 Area
- Consolations: Kamala Nehru School, Sunny Dale School, Army Public School (3 prizes)
- Grades 10–12 Winners:
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd: B K Bajoria School
- Consolations: Seven Set Higher Secondary School, STEM Lab (NECTAR) students (2 prizes), Good Shepherd Higher Secondary School, BK Bajoria School
- Undergraduate/Postgraduate Winners:
- 1st: St. Mary’s College
- 2nd & 3rd: Synod College
Expert Sessions
The one-day event also featured engaging STEM activities and demonstrations:
- STEM Science & Math sessions by IISER Pune
- A machine learning game by Dr. S. Muthukumaran (NIT Trichy)
- Drone awareness sessions
- Innovation insights by Shri Girish Nair, Founder of Curiosity Gym
The event was attended by senior officials from the Government of Meghalaya, NECTAR, Smart Village Movement, IISER Pune, the Education Department, PRIME, IT&C, SCSTE, NortheastAid, and Curiosity Gym.
STEM Fusion 2025 marks a significant step in nurturing Meghalaya’s next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and changemakers.
