This document provides guidance for evaluating student science projects at the district, state, and national levels in India. It outlines the project requirements, including that projects involve a group of 2-5 students working for months under a teacher's guidance. It describes the evaluation process, which involves an oral presentation using 4 mandatory charts, followed by questions. It provides evaluation criteria such as originality, relevance, data collection and analysis, and presentation skills. The goal is to create a supportive environment where all student presenters feel pride and confidence.

1. PRESENTED BY:
Sandipan Dhar
sandipandhar@gmail.com

3. EVALUATION
 DISTRICT LEVEL
 STATE LEVEL
 NATIONAL LEVEL
[+ BEST TWO PROJECTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR
PARTICIPATION IN INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS]

4. A Project Work performed by a group of
2 - 5 Children (aged10 – 17 years) on a
specific theme/Sub-theme,(working for a
couple of months) under the guidance of
a teacher (Guide Teacher) besides their
regular school activities

5. OR
To prove or disprove an ASSERSION/
PROPOSITION (Known as
HYPOTHESIS)

8. • The Project Work will be presented by one member on
behalf of the group – known as Group Leader
• Presentation must be made with the help of four charts
(in addition to 2-3 transparencies, if any), which are
mandatory.
• The child will be allowed to present their work in 8
minutes
• Following presentation, the child will be asked project
related questions for 2 minutes

9. The evaluators (2-3 members) will be provided with -

10.  Mention the limitations about:
(i) Number of Charts
(ii) Time of Presentation, and Q & A
(iii) Only the children present in the room may be
allowed to ask question, if any, to the presenter in
relation to the project on completion of presentation
 Create a friendly atmosphere inside the room
 DO NOT allow any guide teacher, parents/ guardians
inside the room
 ALLOW guests, observers, officials, volunteers & media
personals inside the room

11.  Read out the names of the participants in the sequence, they will be
called for.
 Check the name, age, address & district/state of the participants
 The child called for presentation will be asked to submit –
(i) The original Report of the project
(ii) The original Survey Schedule, if any
(iii) Herbarium, wherever applicable
(iv) Authenticated Log Book (It is mandatory)
(v) Any other thing(s), the child wants to present/ show
 DO NOT ALLOW ANY LIVE SPECIMEN TO BE PRESENTED
 DO NOT ALLOW MODEL OF ANY KIND
 DO NOT ALLOW ANY CHILD TO LEAVE ROOM JUST AFTER
HIS/HER PRESENTATION IS OVER, EXCEPT EMERGENCY
DEMANDS
 Ask the children present in the room to sit calm and quiet and not to
disturb the presenter

12. POINTS TO PONDER
 Be sure about the group (Senior or Junior) you are going to evaluate
 Accordingly you scale-down both your knowledge and mind
 Allow and encourage the child to complete his presentation, even if
time elapses
 Treat cordially and extend necessary help to the child, if required, at
the time of presentation
 The child should not be interrupted during presentation
 No such question(s) to be asked or allowed to ask that will
embarrass the child
 Show importance and interest to the items/ specimens that the
child likes to show you
 On completion of presentation, the child should be pointed out
about the scope of improvement NOT his/her lapses
 Do not accept to act as an evaluator if any of your kith and kin
participates

13. The Reason is –
EVERY SINGLE CHILD SHOULD FEEL PRIDE,
PLEASURE, CONFIDANCE AND JOY AFTER
PRESENTATION OF HIS/HER PROJECT

14. FEW COMMON ERRORS
 Units and Scientific terms
 Undefined Axis of the graph and charts
 Undefined legend of the charts, maps etc.
 Scientific name – Spelling, Underlining/ Italic style
 Undefined parameters of equation used
 Map without boundaries and directions (Eastward/
Northward)
 Improper method of experimentation
 Labeling of charts, diagrams and pictures
 Improperly prepared/labeled Herbarium
 Spelling & Construction of Sentences

15. DISTRIBUTION OF SCORE
TOTAL : 200
ORAL PRESENTATION :
100
WRITTEN REPORT : 100

16. FINAL SCORE
A merit list is prepared on the
basis of average score achieved
by the children on evaluation
of oral presentation and
written report

17. EVALUATION SCORES
 Originality of idea and concept: 10
 Relevance of the project to the theme: 10
 Understanding of the issue: 15
 Data collection and analysis: 15
 Experimentation/ Validation: 10
 Interpretation & Problem solving attempt: 10
 Team work:
For District level: 10
For State/National level: 05
 Oral presentation / written report: 10

18.  Follow-up and Action plan: 10
 Improvement over the previous level
(as per suggestion of the evaluators
at district/state level): 10
 Background correction
(Only at District Level): 10

19. POINT BY POINT ANALYSIS
Originality of idea and concept:
 A unique or novel idea/ concept of a project which
attempts to answer a specific question
 Idea/ concept must be evolved from the immediate
vicinity of a child where he/she is living (it is to be a local
problem)
 Evaluator may ask for explanation of origin of the
idea/concept.

20. Relevance to the Focal Theme
 It must be justified that the work undertaken
in the project has relevance to the Sub-theme
vis-à-vis Focal Theme

21. Understanding the Issue(s)
 Do the child possess clear understanding of
the issue(s) he/she is presenting?
 Example –
When a child works with environment, it may be assured
that he/ she must possess clear scientific understanding
about environment NOT just bookish knowledge.

22. Data Collection
 It should be systematic
 Child should possess proper knowledge of tools/
methods, used for the purpose
 Questionnaire should be properly structured mostly with
the questions relevant to the project
 Sample size should be sufficient ( not less than 50) to
draw a meaningful inference/ conclusion

23. Data Analysis
 This includes Tabulation, Classification/ categorization of
the information/data collected/generated during the study
 Use of simple statics viz. mean, range, frequency (using bar
code), percentage, ratio proportion etc.
 Use of bar diagram, histogram, graph, pie chart etc.
 Use of any other mathematical formula/ equation, as and
when applicable

24. Experimentation/ Validation
 Conducting Experiment/ Field study with the application
of Simple Method of Science.
 Validation of hypothesis or any new idea will have to be
done using simple but proper scientific method
 Experiment(s) need not be very sophisticated or lab-
based, it should be simple, self developed and inexpensive

25. Problem Solving attempt
 This is the point when it will be judged to what
extent the team has exercised their
understanding on the issues emerged after
analysing data/ information to find out a
meaningful solution to the problem, identified.
The solution should be Child-like.

26. Team Work
 It refers to work division, cooperation and sharing among
the member of the groups.
 This is to be proved through scrutiny of –
(i) Log book, and
(ii) Photograph, as a proof of group activities

27. Presentation
 Oral Presentation includes –
(i) Size of the letters
(ii) The contents in the posters should be legible
(iii) Layout of the posters
(iv) Using the charts during presentation
(v) Art of Deliberations/ Communication skill developed
(vi) Answering the questions
 Written Report –
(i) Systematic documentation
(ii) Proper tabulation & Preparation of graphs, charts, etc.
(iii) Detail documentation of methods
(iv) Errors, mostly scientific errors

28. Follow-up and Action plan
 The team must convey the community about their
research findings and the probable way of problem
solution
 Look for the methods they used to reach a maximum
number of the community members, exploring the
resource availability

29. Improvement over the
Previous Level
 Not all, but a large number of the points suggested by the
evaluators at District/State level need to be addressed.
 It is supposed that the specific areas of improvement
must be mentioned by the Child Scientist in the separate
sheet as an Annexure and simultaneously the mode and
volume of work done must be identified at the time of
evaluation.

30. Background Correction
(Only for District Level)
 In this case the background of the children (geographic,
socio-economic, resource availability in the school, etc.) is
to be verified and they should be evaluated accordingly.
Example –
A similar type of work if done by the two groups both
from the un- privileged schools, then the evaluators must
compare the nature and volume of the work done by
each of the groups and allot marks accordingly.

31. POINTS TO BE EMPHASISED
DURING ORAL PRESENTATION
 The layout & Lettering of the charts
 Understanding the method of science applied on the particular
work done
 Understanding the scientific phenomenon involved in the
particular piece of work
 Creativity and/or innovativeness of the work
 Level of confidence on the work performed
 Communication skill
 Check the Log Book

32. EVALUATION OF WRITTEN REPORT
 Innovative/ creative idea & its relevance to
theme/sub-theme
 Well defined objective(s)
 Elaborate Explanation of the Methods applied for
Experimentation/Validation
 Arrangement/ classification of data & its analysis
 Nature of Conclusion/ Inference drawn
 Written in proper format

33. Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Will a project, if undertaken in the format similar to
that given in the Activity Guide Book, be considered as
an innovative project?
A: No. However, it may be considered if there is any
modification/ improvement over the suggested one.
Q: If any method/ device is developed, will it be allowed
to display for evaluation?
A:Yes. But, the method/device must have to be
demonstrated with scientific explanations
Q: Will the decoration of the Report/Charts help to fetch
higher grade?
A: No and Never. Both Charts and Reports should be
simple and neatly written

34. FORMAT OF PROJECT REPORT
 Form – A
 Introduction/ Background
 Objective (s)
 Methods
Survey/ Experiment/ Observation
 Results/Data Analysis
 Conclusion/ Inference
 Problem solving attempt
 Future Plan of work
 Acknowledgement
 Reference
 Appendix (if any)
[It is similar to the format of M.Sc/ Ph.D thesis]

35. MUST FOR THE EVALUATORS
 Do not get biased to any child. Treat equally.
 Do not get impressed only by the mode of
presentation/ oratory skill/ body language of
the child scientist.
 Even if the presentation is poor, but the idea is
noble/new, consider it with proper note for
necessary modification in the next level
 Keep the result of your room secret

36. CRITERION OF A GOOD
PROJECT
 ORIGINALITY OF IDEA
 WELL DEFINED OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE WORK
 RELEVANCE OF THE WORK TO THE FOCAL THEME
 PROPER APPLICATION OF METHOD OF SCIENCE
 CLEARITY IN UNDERSTANDING
 CHILD-LIKE PROBLEM SOLVING ATTEMPT
 DOCUMENTATION IN PROPER FORMAT

37. WISH YOU ALL JOYFUL
INVOLVEMENT AT VARIOUS
CAPACITIES IN
NCSC
THANK YOU