Jaswinder Singh’s Lab on Wheels was officially launched on 1 November 2022. To date, he has reached almost 7 lakh students across 11 states, leaving a significant impact on science education.
Punjab: Jaswinder Singh, a lecturer at a government school in Punjab, runs a campaign of making education accessible to students of all backgrounds. He has transformed his personal car into a mobile science lab and has given it the name ‘Lab on Wheels.’ He often employed innovative teaching methods to teach difficult science concepts to his students, and this inspired him to start a unique campaign. As word spread around, invitations poured in from various schools, urging him to share his unique approach.
The idea for Lab on Wheels
Jaswinder Singh initiated the Lab on Wheels campaign after encountering a significant incident in 2012. He visited a school as an examiner and interacted with the students regarding their practical exams. He discovered that most of the students were unprepared and lacked practical knowledge about science. Jaswinder found it disheartening and determined to make a difference. He encouraged students to demonstrate practical skills, emphasizing that marks would only be awarded based on observation.
Making learning fun
Jaswinder Singh took the responsibility of demonstrating a science experiment using litmus paper, lemon, soap, and other materials. His aim was to inspire an interest in students. He conducted the experiment, and the students followed the same steps. Their enthusiasm was evident when some students expressed a desire to continue experimenting beyond the practical hours. Jaswinder realized that engaging students in this manner could spark their interest in science. This was the beginning of his idea of Lab on Wheels.
The official launch
Jaswinder Singh participated in several teacher training programmes and demonstrated practical science experiments that intrigued both the teachers and students. He received appreciation for his innovative teaching methods. He usually carried his own teaching materials due to the lack of availability of these materials in schools. Initially, he carried his equipment in two bags and later, he decided to transform his car into a mobile lab. With this vision, Lab on Wheels was officially launched on 1 November 2022.
National Award
Gradually, Jaswinder Singh’s efforts gained media attention. Schools began reaching out to him to provide his science classes in their schools. Initially, he received around 18 invitations, and then the numbers grew to 30 invitations. During this time, a friend of Jaswinder read an article in a newspaper that invited nominations of people engaged in unique initiatives.
Jaswinder applied for the award and was soon selected for the National Award by the Department of Science and Technology. Notably, Ruchi Ram Sahni, an Indian scientist born in 1863, was also engaged in teaching science using innovative approaches. To date, Jaswinder Singh has reached almost 7 lakh students across 11 states, leaving a significant impact on science education.
Awards and honours
Jaswinder Singh’s efforts have been recognized with several awards and honours, including the following:
First person from Punjab to receive a National Award for promoting science education.
First person from Punjab to promote science and maths in Punjabi language.
State Award in 2010
Shiksha Ratna in 2013 and Governor’s Award in 2014
Malti Gyan Peeth Award in 2017
ASEAN Excellence Award in 2022
Pride of Asia Award in 2023
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