Science Express

Science Express has been a flagship programme of Department of Science & Technology (DST). It was an initiative taken by National Council for Science & Technology Communication, Department of Science & Technology, GOI, managed by Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad. It was a unique, innovative mobile exhibition mounted on a 16-coach, AC train, started in 2007 that travelled across India for the past 9 years.

Science Express completed nine tours of the country during which it received an overwhelming response and 1.81 crore visitors. Science Express Phase I to IV showcased cutting-edge research in Science and Technology being carried out worldwide. Phase V to VII was based on the theme of biodiversity and was called as 'Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)', that showcased the rich biodiversity of India and its conservation measures. Phase VIII and Phase IX were operational as 'Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)', highlighting the global challenge of climate change.

Phase I

'Science Express' has been a unique science exhibition on a 16-coach, fully air-conditioned train that travelled across the country. It showcased cutting edge research in different fields of Science. This Indo-German collaborative project was a modified version of the inaugural exhibition train that was flagged off on 30 October 2007 by Honorable Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. This innovative exhibition, which created four National Records, received unprecedented response at all the halts in the first two phases. In its first phase, it travelled to 57 cities from 30 Oct 2007 to 4 June 2008 covering 15,000 km across India.

Phase II

'Science Express' has been a unique science exhibition on a 16-coach, fully air-conditioned train that travelled across the country. It showcased cutting edge research in different fields of Science. This Indo-German collaborative project & innovative exhibition, which created four National Records, received unprecedented response at all the halts in the first two phases. In its second phase, it travelled to 51 cities from 30 Nov 2008 to 30 May 2009 covering 17,000 km across India.

Phase III

The state-of-the-art mobile science exhibition on the train attempted to develop scientific temper among the masses and encourage students to pursue careers in science. It hosted interactive exhibits developed by Max Planck Society, Germany, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), Ahmedabad in 11 coaches. It also hosted an exhibition on Climate Change sponsored by HSBC in one coach. In another coach, Joy-of-Science hands-on lab of VASCSC had been put up for conducting over 60 interesting experiments, activities in Science & Mathematics along with an exhibition on India's heritage in Science & Technology. VASCSC partnered with DST, for its management throughout the country. It travelled across 56 cities from 2 Oct 2009 to 27 April 2010 covering 18,000 kms.

Phase IV

Science Express exhibition showcases cutting-edge research in Science. An Indo-German collaborative project, flagged off on 30 Oct 2007 by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. This innovative exhibition received an unprecedented response and created several Records. On completion of its fourth phase in June 2011, it would have traveled 68000 km, covering 216 locations across India, during its 794 exhibition days. Till March 2011 it has received over 57 lakh visitors, mostly students.

During Phase IV of Science Express, it was schedule to travel from 4 Dec 2010 to 16 June 2011 halting at 57 stations covering 18,000 kms.

Phase V

After the successful tour across India in four phases, this iconic train is now started functioning as 'Science Express - Biodiversity Special (SEBS)' - a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology and Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India (Gol). It was flagged off on 5 June 2012, World Environment Day, from Delhi Safdarjung by Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi and Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, Hon'ble Minister of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India. During this phase, from 5 June 2012 to 13 January 2013, SEBS was scheduled to travel to 57 locations across India covering 22,000 kms.

Phase VI

After the successful tour across India in four phases, this iconic train, since 2012 was operated as 'Science Express - Biodiversity Special (SEBS)' - a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology and Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India. The Second edition of SEBS (Phase 6 of Science Express) was flagged-off from Delhi Safdarjung on 9 April 2013. During this phase, from 9 April to 28 October 2013, SEBS was scheduled to travel to 62 locations across India covering 19,000 kms.

Phase VII

After the successful tour across India in first four phases, this iconic train was running as 'Science Express - Biodiversity Special (SEBS) -1 since 2012; a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF), Govt. of India. SEBS Phase III (Phase 7 of Science Express) was flagged-off from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station on 28 July 2014 by Shri Prakash Javadekar, the then Hon'ble Minister; Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Govt. of India; Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda, the then Minister of Railways, Govt. of India and Dr. Jitendra Singh, the then Minister of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. During Phase 7 of Science Express, also called as SEBS Phase III; 28 July 2014 to 6 February 2015, it travelled 56 locations across India covering 17,000 kms.

Phase VIII

After seven successful tours, the eighth phase of Science Express had been redesigned on the theme 'Climate Change' and it functioned on the Indian Rail Tracks as 'Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)'. It is a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Ministry of Railways, Govt of India.

The SECAS was flagged off on 15 October 2015 from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon'ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences; Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon'ble Minister of Railways; Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon'ble Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Shri V. S. Chowdary, Hon'ble Minister of State for Science & Technology and Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon'ble Minister of State for Railways. After its flag off, SECAS embarked on its tour across the country for about 7 months, halting at 64 stations in 20 states and covering 19,800 km.

Phase IX

Science Express, in its ninth phase was launched as Science Express Climate Action Special II (SECAS II). The SECAS II was a collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Railways, Govt. of India; Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC).

The SECAS II was flagged off on 17th Feb 2017 from Delhi, Safdarjung Railway Station by Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon'ble Minister of Railways; Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon'ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences; and Shri Anil Madhav Dave, Hon'ble Minister of State (I/C) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India. SECAS was scheduled from 17th Feb to 8th Sept 2017, exhibited at 68 stations across India, covering 19000 km. SECAS focussed mainly on Climate Change and Science & Technology.