Why in news? The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India has announced the launch of ‘Learning Science via Standards’, a unique initiative for students for learning science via standards.

Highlights:

• The ‘Learning Science via Standards’ initiative focuses on a series of lesson plans aimed to use scientific concepts, principles and laws to help students understand their practical applications in manufacturing, functioning and testing of quality characteristics of different products as stated in the relevant Indian Standards.
• The subjects for the lesson plans are largely related to products used in day-to-day life and have been chosen based on their relevance to education as part of the course curriculum as well as to industrial applications.
• This series is in continuum with an earlier BIS initiative under which ‘Standards Clubs’ are being established in educational institutions across India
• This initiative is a step towards bridging the gap between theory and real life use of science education.
• It will enable students to relate the concepts of science to their actual applications and also promote a culture of quality and standardization in the country.
• BIS officials and resource personnel will transact the lesson plans to the students for an interactive learning experience.

What are standard clubs ?

• ‘Standards Clubs’ undertake student-centric activities like debates, quiz and competitions, including standards-writing competitions.
• Students are also taken for exposure visits to industries and laboratories for witnessing the various manufacturing and testing processes as well as BIS offices which have been developed as learning spaces.
• BIS provides financial support to these Clubs for undertaking up to three activities in a year.

About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

• It is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India
• It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016
• The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.
• The organisation was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.