In New Delhi, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh shared exciting news about India’s young generation. On Sunday, he highlighted how students are ditching traditional courses and diving into innovative areas like Earth Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Technology, and startup-led self-employment. This big change comes thanks to the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), which breaks free from strict subject streams and lets kids explore a wide range of fields.
“The National Education Policy (NEP-2020) has unleashed the creative potential of young minds by freeing them from the limitations of rigid subject streams and enabling them to explore diverse disciplines,” Dr Singh said. He added, “This is encouraging a paradigm shift from conventional courses towards cutting-edge fields such as Earth Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Technology, and start-up-led self-employment.”
Dr Singh spoke at a special event honoring the Indian student team that shone at the 18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO-2025) in Jining, China, from August 8 to 16. Team India grabbed seven medals—one Gold, four Silver, and two Bronze—plus a third prize in the International Geoscience Youth Movement Reporter category. The winners hailed from Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi, with guidance from mentors Prof. Devesh Walia and Prof. Hema Achyuthan, and observer Dr Jagvir Singh.
Praising the team’s success, Dr Singh said it shows the fresh ambition among India’s youth, especially from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. He credited the startup revolution of the past decade for inspiring them. He urged students to tap into government programs like Vigyan Jyoti, scholarships, fellowships, and research grants to turn their ideas into reality and help society. “Don’t just aim to win competitions—use your innovations to solve real-life problems for the greater good,” he encouraged.
Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, explained how India picks its IESO team. They hold the Indian National Earth Science Olympiad at around 300 centers each year. From nearly 30 shortlisted students, four get selected to represent the country internationally. He noted that India’s performance in IESO has improved steadily in recent years.
The International Earth Science Olympiad started in 2003 to challenge school students worldwide on Earth Sciences knowledge. India joined in 2007 and even hosted the 10th edition in Mysore in 2013. This success story highlights how NEP-2020 is fueling India’s youth in fields like Earth Sciences and Space Technology, paving the way for more global wins.
