Puducherry: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Chennai Branch Office, has launched a two-day mentor reinforcement training programme for science teachers in Puducherry, centred on the theme "Learning Science via Standards." The training, held from July 3 to 4, aims to integrate scientific education with quality and standardisation concepts.

Inaugurating the programme, J Sreejith Mohan, Scientist-D and Joint Director, BIS Chennai, welcomed the participants and highlighted the objectives of the initiative. He said the programme is designed to deepen students' understanding of science by linking classroom concepts to real-life applications through BIS's specially curated lesson plans. These plans showcase the role of science in everyday products, making learning more practical and relatable.

He also underlined BIS's role in national standard formulation and its outreach through academic partnerships. “Standards Clubs in schools and colleges are a major initiative to cultivate awareness of quality and compliance among students,” he said. These clubs foster participatory learning through competitions, projects, and lesson-based engagement.

A new national-level online quiz competition, held every fourth Saturday, has also been introduced exclusively for Standards Club members. The competition aims to promote awareness of standards and stimulate curiosity through gamified learning.

The two-day sessions are being conducted by BIS resource persons Ramprasad K, Lomina R, Koushik Sasitharan, and Sundar Jogin S. The sessions cover BIS's key functions, including standardization, certification, testing, training, and academic outreach.

A total of 35 science teachers are participating in the programme, which concludes on July 4.

BIS, the National Standards Body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, operates schemes such as ISI product certification, hallmarking of precious metals, management system certifications, and laboratory services, with a focus on consumer protection and industry support.