Delhi Training Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday inaugurated the ‘Lab on Wheels’ program of Delhi Technological College. In this, college students of the college will travel in a bus across Delhi, to show the students of government college and underprivileged children.
‘Lab on Wheels’: What’s the Idea?
The concept is to provide schooling in arithmetic and science to these college students who come from marginalized and poor financial backgrounds, pursuing schooling in an effort to enhance their studies in these subjects. In the long run it is hoped that it will be mutually beneficial if some of these college students resolve to take admission in DTU as soon as they finish their education.
What equipment can be present inside the bus?
The Lab on Wheels will include 16 computer systems, two TVs, a 3D printer, a laptop computer, a camera and a printer. It’s going to be Wi-Fi enabled, 100 percent energy up again and fully air conditioned.
How many volunteers will be giving instruction, and how many college students will be covering this?
The program will initially target 12 faculties. The bus will perform in three shifts of three hours each from 8 am to 11 am, from 11 am to 2 pm and from noon to 5 pm. DTU PRO Anoop Lather said that a college once a week and repeated visits for eight weeks can be done. Each shift can have two volunteers (DTU students) who can instruct 16 students if it is a PC lab, or 25 students if it is giving general classroom instruction. After eight weeks a new set of 12 schools can be selected.
“If we find it successful, we can even improve the number of buses,” Lather said.
What can everyone be taught within the program?
Since DTU is a technical college, the main focus may be on Arithmetic and Science. Issues that may be covered include elementary laptop training to students, general classwork and 3D printing training for class 10 and 12 students.
When does the lab hit the highway, and what safety precautions can be taken?
“At our end, we were all set to start right after the inauguration but there was apprehension from the schools due to rising cases. As of now, we are unsure of when we can start. Although we will be following all the safety precautions; As soon as we resume operations, the protocol can be strictly followed by the authorities of India,” said Amit Srivastava, the Dean (Outreach Extension and Action) concerned.