Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi concluded the successful 7th edition of its highly anticipated Summer Camp. The month-long camp, held from May 22nd to June 17th, 2023, witnessed record-breaking participation of over 250+ students from various government schools in Delhi, including Govt. (Co-ed) Senior Secondary School, Kalkaji DDA Flats Phase-2, Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Tughlakabad, and Govt. Boys Senior Secondary School, Harkesh Nagar, among others.
The camp was inaugurated by the Higher Education Minister Ms. Atishi. Addressing the children during the inauguration ceremony, Ms. Atishi said, “This special summer camp is going to be an exciting journey for the students. Right from day one, they will learn something new every day. They will learn to work in teams and respect each other. What they learn here will help them tackle the challenges of everyday life and give them the confidence to utilize their skills for self- improvement.”
The Summer Camp featured diverse activities and sessions designed to provide an enriching and transformative experience for the students. Under the guidance of 43 dedicated B.Tech. students volunteers and five student coordinators, the students were exposed to a multitude of educational and recreational opportunities. The camp’s comprehensive curriculum comprised an array of educational sessions led by IIIT-Delhi students, alumni, and faculty. These sessions covered topics like identity, perception, gender sensitisation, financial literacy, yoga, artificial intelligence, and robotics, encouraging students to broaden their horizons and engage in meaningful discussions. Additionally, the camp offered classes on analytical reasoning, applied science, astronomy, life skills, and mathematics to provide the students with essential knowledge and practical skills.
The Applied Science class focused on hands-on experiments, allowing students to explore basic scientific concepts. The camp also featured a science class in IIIT-Delhi’s Electronics and Communication Engineering labs, where students had the opportunity to build the circuits for alarm systems, incorporate different sensing mechanisms, signal processing, and alarm triggers. Mathematics sessions delved into the wonders of shapes, numbers, and geometry, while the life skills program taught critical skills like time management, banking, and personality development. This year, classes on Analytical Reasoning were introduced to equip students with problem- solving abilities for various competitive exams, focusing on modules covering inductive reasoning, identifying patterns, solving calendar questions, and determining blood relations. The classes on Astronomy, another new addition this year, focused on space exploration and telescopes.
The camp prioritised the students’ well-being by serving healthy and balanced meals during recess, carefully designed to include a variety of vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and fruit juices. The communal dining experience encouraged students to engage in conversations and foster positive relationships, communication skills, and a supportive environment among their
peers. The Summer Camp extended its impact through engaging afternoon activities, including literature, arts & crafts, fun activities, product development & selling, and indoor sports. These activities allowed students to express their creativity, enhance their language skills, and foster teamwork and sportsmanship. The summer camp also featured a thrilling yoga championship, showcasing the participants’ flexibility, strength, and inner balance as they competed for excellence in this ancient practice.
Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director of IIIT-Delhi said, “The Summer Camp provided the students a unique opportunity for an immersive experience in an academically-rich environment, pickup soft-skills in a fun-filled manner, and an added exposure to the culture of a research-led institute like IIIT-D. With an impressive gender ratio of close to 50-50, the participants were exposed to a variety of diverse topics: from astronomy to yoga, and from entrepreneurship to self- defense. We hope that the participants have not only imbibed some of the interesting skills, but also elevated their levels of self-confidence,” said Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director of IIIT-Delhi.”
The valedictory ceremony held on June 17th was a memorable conclusion to the Summer Camp, where students captivated the audience with their talents through performances. Prof. Pankaj Jalote, the founding director of IIIT-Delhi, graced the event as the chief guest, inspiring students with his words of wisdom. Students proudly showcased their artistic creations and prototype skills during an engaging presentation. The outstanding students and volunteers were recognised and awarded hampers and diaries as tokens of appreciation. The final moments were captured, cherishing the memories before bidding a heartfelt farewell to these beautiful children.
Once a Summer Camp attendee now a IIIT-Delhi student
Yash Raj Ojha, a student volunteer, shares his transformative journey at the Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya Lajpat Nagar School. Enrolling in IIIT-Delhi’s summer camp in 2016, Yash encountered passionate mentors who introduced him to cutting-edge research and engineering perspectives, igniting his passion for science. This experience drove him to pursue a science stream, excel in the JEE Mains exam, and gain admission to IIIT Delhi. In 2023, as a volunteer in the same summer camp, Yash proudly inspired and guided others, showcasing the power of education and motivation in pursuing dreams. The case study highlights the camp’s role in fostering personal growth and encouraging students to embrace limitless possibilities.
A few messages from Student Attendees:
“I had a great time; it was my first experience. I played a lot and enjoyed all the subjects. I particularly enjoyed Astronomy and Reasoning. Arts and Crafts is my favourite activity. I made many new friends here. I enjoyed staying in the last week to practice poetry. I learned a lot of new things. I can’t wait to come back next year.”
“I came back for the second time, and this year was quite different from the last. I still remember the previous volunteers from last year. The literature was really good. I am very thankful to the didis and bhaiyas for their hard work in making our summer enjoyable.”
“This is my first and maybe last time here because I am in 9th grade. I heard about this from my friends. I have learned many new things here, and science and fun activities are my favourites. I want to thank Aanchal for teaching me dance last week.”
The successful hosting of the 7th edition of the Summer Camp further solidifies IIIT-Delhi’s commitment to fostering excellence in education and shaping the future leaders of tomorrow.