By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 12: To mark National Technology Day, the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) partnered with the Smart Village Movement and the Education department to organise a hands-on technology exploration for students and teachers from across Meghalaya.
According to a statement, the event, held at the NECTAR STEM Lab in Shillong on Monday, followed the national theme ‘Responsible Innovation for Inclusive Growth’. A total of 35 students and 35 teachers participated in the event.
The sessions featured a wide range of activities, including robotics, interactive servo-ultrasonic systems and electronics demonstrated through working house models.
During the event, the participants also explored DIY STEM projects, such as an e-bike and an electric buzzer game, alongside an introduction to basic drone technology. A STEM trainer opened the proceedings with a presentation on the history and significance of the day in India.
Addressing the participants, NECTAR Director General Arun Kumar Sarma highlighted the transformative potential of tools like drones. “Understanding how these technologies can be put to work is what will help make our country the nation we all dream it can be,” he said.
Stressing the importance of STEM education, Sarma noted that the lab provides a pathway to turn ideas into prototypes.
He remarked that while the standard of education might appear different in metropolitan cities like Pune or Delhi, the capability of students remains the same. “A student’s mind in Delhi and a student’s mind in Meghalaya are exactly the same. The only difference is opportunity. The STEM lab is here to support whatever you imagine, not to hand you a fixed kit and tell you to follow instructions,” Sarma stated.
He further encouraged a shift in mindset, urging both faculty and students to move beyond textbooks. “Books will get you marks in an exam, but something beyond books will get you somewhere much further. If that sense of belonging comes to you—the feeling that you want to contribute to this country—the dream of becoming a developed nation by 2047 is not far at all,” he added.
