Founded in 1988 by JRD Tata, NIAS is an institution for conducting advanced multidisciplinary research with an integrated approach – studying the intersections between diverse fields like science and technology, philosophy, social issues and leadership. To conduct this research, the institute brings together people from diverse intellectual backgrounds. These include not only academicians from natural and social sciences, humanities and the arts, but also administrators, managers and leaders from the government and various industries.
The objective for such nuanced research, for NIAS, is to nurture a broad base of scholars, managers and leaders capable of responding to the complex challenges facing contemporary India and the world with sensitivity, insight and dedication.
The institute’s five-acre campus is located within the larger campus of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. NIAS regularly organises public lectures, conferences and seminars at the regional, national and international level on topical areas of research and public concern.
The project supported by MFE:
NIAS-EGT Programme: Identification and Mentoring Gifted and Talented Children in India
Since 2017, NIAS has been partnering with schools for its “Education for the Gifted and Talented” or EGT initiative – a programme in which middle-school children with a potential for excellence are provided with additional training and mentorship at Advanced Learning Centres (ALCs) especially set up by NIAS. Selected students remain enrolled at ALCs from Class 6 to 12, during which they learn complex concepts and problem-solving techniques in STEM, the humanities and a range of other subjects. They are also taught to improve their cognitive abilities, critical thinking and thought-leadership skills, among other things.
In this three-year project supported by MFE, the institute aims to measure the efficacy of its ALCs in a variety of different schools. It will involve selecting 600 gifted and talented children in Class 5 and 6 across 20 schools in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and/or Andhra Pradesh. The schools will be of different types, such as Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, the Army Welfare Education Society, international schools as well as small-budget schools.
Over two years, the 600 EGT students from these schools will attend ALCs, while being tested against a control group of around 200 other students. This will enable NIAS to measure the success of its ALCs in terms of the quality of their content and pedagogy, their teacher training and additional skills gained by students. The institute will also measure the efficacy of in-class ALC training versus their summer and winter workshops.
As part of the project, NIAS will also conduct mentor-mentee workshops for the EGT students, several lecture series as well as workshops for parents.