Bhubaneswar : The 15th edition of the Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) was launched today in a new online format, thus giving the opportunity to all school students of classes 6th to 10th of Odisha to participate in the prestigious and eagerly awaited annual event.
Tata Steel in association with Pathani Samanta Planetarium of Science and Technology Department, Government of Odisha has been conducting the “Young Astronomer Talent Search” (YATS) for the school children of the State since 2007. The endeavor aims to identify and encourage the talents of school children in the field of astronomy and space science by providing them with a platform to test and express their knowledge. Odisha has produced many great astronomers in the past, the most talented and versatile among them being the legendary Pathani Samanta. While commemorating the birth anniversary of this illustrious personality, a statewide competition is organized closing with the finals of YATS at Bhubaneswar on 13th December. In the last 14 years, more than two lakh young science enthusiasts of the State have participated in YATS and 160 winning students had the opportunity to visit premier facilities of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in India.
To increase the reach of the program and make it accessible to children where schools are yet to open, we are launching a digital version of YATS in 2021. The program is being conducted for two groups, the junior group for students of classes 6th to 8th and the senior group for students of classes 9th and 10th. Interested students can participate by registering online for free at www.bit.ly/YATS2021. Details of the event and helpline numbers is available at the registration site. The participants can also choose to participate in either Odia or English language. After registration, the students will be provided with reference study material. The online tests will be held between 29th November to 5th December. The participants can opt to appear for the test at their convenience during the said period. To get acquainted with the online format of the test, the participants can also choose to appear for mock tests on 27th and 28th November 2021.
While the district toppers of the junior group will be announced based on the online test, for the senior group, the top two participants of each district will be invited to participate in two days (12th & 13th December 2021) of online workshops, expert sessions, group discussions, personal interviews and Top 20 winners will be then chosen from amongst them. The winners will be felicitated in the closing ceremony to be held on 13th December 2021.
On the occasion, Shri Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said: “YATS is celebrating its 15th edition this year, with a revised format to ensure more participation and to take it to the next level. YATS, in its new digital avatar, will give students across the state the opportunity and freedom to participate at their own time and pace. Going forward, our aim is to build a more engaging community, in order to promote astronomy and space science amongst the students of Odisha. Our association with Pathani Samanta Planetarium and the Government of Odisha for this unique endeavour is long standing and cherished. My best wishes to all participants for the YATS 2021.”
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