IIT Mandi's Science on Wheels to visit 50 Himachal schools for Classes 6 to 12
By TUF News Desk · Published 27 October 2026 · 4 min read
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Fifty schools in Himachal Pradesh are on the route of a travelling science classroom. The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi has taken its Science on Wheels programme into the state, with Plaksha University and the Igniting Dreams of Young Minds (IDYM) Foundation as partners. The Himachal Pradesh leg was launched on October 17 at the IIT Mandi Campus School.
The programme is aimed at school students, with a clear focus on rural areas where lab equipment and hands-on experiments are harder to come by. Instead of asking students to travel to a campus, the team carries the experiments to their schools.
What happens during a school visit
Each school gets around six hours of hands-on learning. The sessions are built for students in Classes 6 to 12 and are organised around four themes: space technology, robotics, sustainability and water filtration.
The idea, as described in the Ministry of Education press release, is simple enough. Students should be able to link what they read in a textbook with something they can see, touch and test. The programme also asks them to think about how science applies to problems close to home, from clean water to local environmental questions.
Where the programme is headed
In Himachal Pradesh, the team plans to cover 50 schools across Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Kangra districts. Work has already started in Mandi district, where the first visits covered government senior secondary schools in Badog, Baggi (K), Bari Gumanu, Batheri and Deori.
This is not the programme’s first run. Before Himachal Pradesh, Science on Wheels had reached more than 7,500 students through 70 schools in Chhattisgarh and Punjab. The Himachal leg extends that work to schools in the hill districts over the coming weeks.
Who is behind it
The programme is supported by the Department of Science and Technology through the National Council for Science and Technology Communication. The project is led by Rucha Joshi, principal investigator at Plaksha University, with team members from IIT Mandi, Plaksha University and the IDYM Foundation.
The IDYM Foundation is an official Space Tutor of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which fits with the space technology theme in the school sessions. Details of the institute and its programmes are available on the official IIT Mandi website.
A rocket launch at the inauguration
A live hydro rocket launch was one of the main attractions at the inauguration ceremony. The launch gave students a direct look at force, pressure and motion, the kind of concepts that usually stay on the blackboard. One student at the campus school described watching the rocket launch live as amazing.
IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera, who was present at the launch, said: “Science on Wheels is a great initiative. We need to develop an interest in science amongst our children as they are the future of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Deshraj Sharma, principal of IIT Mandi Campus School, welcomed the programme and said equipment of this kind is rarely seen in these areas, so the visits widen what students can imagine for themselves.
For students in Classes 11 and 12, a programme like this can also shape what comes next. Those starting to think about science degrees and entrance exams can use our guide to choosing a university in India to compare institutes, courses and admission routes before they apply.
Frequently asked questions
What is IIT Mandi’s Science on Wheels programme?
It is a mobile, hands-on science programme for school students in Classes 6 to 12, run by IIT Mandi with Plaksha University and the IDYM Foundation.
How many Himachal Pradesh schools will Science on Wheels cover?
The Himachal Pradesh leg aims to cover 50 schools across Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Kangra districts.
What topics do the Science on Wheels sessions cover?
Each school gets around six hours of activities built around space technology, robotics, sustainability and water filtration.
Has Science on Wheels run anywhere before Himachal Pradesh?
Yes. It had already reached more than 7,500 students through 70 schools in Chhattisgarh and Punjab before expanding to Himachal Pradesh.
Frequently asked questions
What is IIT Mandi's Science on Wheels programme?
It is a mobile, hands-on science programme for school students in Classes 6 to 12, run by IIT Mandi with Plaksha University and the IDYM Foundation.
How many Himachal Pradesh schools will Science on Wheels cover?
The Himachal Pradesh leg aims to cover 50 schools across Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Kangra districts.
What topics do the Science on Wheels sessions cover?
Each school gets around six hours of activities built around space technology, robotics, sustainability and water filtration.
Has Science on Wheels run anywhere before Himachal Pradesh?
Yes. It had already reached more than 7,500 students through 70 schools in Chhattisgarh and Punjab before expanding to Himachal Pradesh.
Sources: Careers360, Times Now