from Jashn-e-Taleem
1972: Government approves proposal for innovation in science education in 16 middle schools submitted by Kishore Bharati (KB), Bankhedi, and Friends Rural Centre (FRC), Rasulia. Programme begins with support from the All India Science Teachers Association (AISTA). First teacher training camp held in May. First edition of the Bal Vaigyanik published in September.
1973: The Science Education Group of Delhi University (DU) joins the programme. The University Grants Commission (UGC) extends official approval for their participation.
1975: The Science Teachers Group from colleges of Madhya Pradesh joins the programme. After three years of effort, chapters of the Bal Vaigyanik workbooks for Class 6, 7 and 8 are published as card sheets. UGC announces fellowships for volunteers participating in the programme.
The government grants permission for making changes in the examination system. First batch of children sit for the Class 8 Board examination, conducted by KB and FRC.
1977: Joint decision by the Education Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to expand the HSTP to all the middle schools in Hoshangabad district. The Regional College of Education (RCE) coordinates preparation of detailed proposal for district-level expansion. The Bal Vaigyanik curriculum and workbooks approved by the State Textbook Review Committee.
1978: District-level expansion takes place. The Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation (MP-TBC) begins publication of the Bal Vaigyanik. Administrative Committee with Director, Public Instruction (DPI) as chairman set up and Science Cell established in the District Education Office (DEO), Narmada Division, to administer the programme.
1982: Formation of Eklavya. State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) established. Deputation of government teachers to HSTP begins.
1984: Seeding of programme under auspices of SCERT in three districts through school complex route as model for state-level expansion: Ujjain (Narwar complex), Dewas (Hat Pipalya complex) and Dhar (Tirla complex).
1985: Seeding in three more districts: Shajapur (Agar complex), Mandsaur (Pipliya Mandi complex) and Ratlam (Namli complex).
1986: Seeding in six more districts: Narsinghpur (Gotegaon complex), Chhindwara (Parasia complex), Khandwa (Harsud complex), Indore (Sanwer complex), Jhabua (Meghnagar complex) and Khargone (Mandleshwar complex).
1987-89: First revision of the Bal Vaigyanik begins, based on feedback from schools.
1990: Eklavya submits proposal for state-level expansion of the HSTP to the Madhya Pradesh government and the Ministry for Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India. The NCERT sets up six-member expert committee under the chairmanship of Prof. B. Ganguly to review the programme.
1991: The Ganguli committee submits its report. Appreciating the programme, it recommends its phased expansion across the state.
Planning for state-level expansion begins but a change in government derails the process. New government calls for fresh review of the HSTP and sets up expert committee under the chairmanship of Dr G.N. Mishra, Director, State Institute for Science Education.
1992: The Mishra committee presents a favourable report but for undisclosed reasons the report is never released nor made public.
1993: Five institutions in Gujarat join hands, get government approval, and launch a Learner Centred (Adhyaita Kendri)Science Teaching Programme, based on the HSTP methodology, in three districts of the state.
1994: State-level expansion of the HSTP again on the agenda. The government sets up new committee under the chairmanship of Director, SCERT, to formulate expansion plan. Committee postpones work on the plan, citing SCERTs preoccupation with the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP).
Work on second revision of the Bal Vaigyanik begins but is kept on hold.
1995: Resource teacher training workshops begin.
Kit replacement streamlined by levy of a science cess on all middle schools in the state to meet the expenditure.
1996: Decentralised teacher training model adopted to address problems of private schools and facilitate participation of resource teachers.
1998: English edition of the Bal Vaigyanik published.
Lok Jumbish Parishad seeds the programme in Rajasthan and publishes workbooks titled Khojbeen.
1999: Bal Vaigyanik revision, on hold since 1994, taken up again. Teachers participate on a mass scale to field test material with the children.
2000: Revised edition of the Class 6 Bal Vaigyanik published after approval by the Madhya Pradesh Textbook Standing Committee.
Discussions on state-level expansion renewed.
2001: Revised edition of the Class 7 Bal Vaigyanik published.
Rewriting/revision of the Class 8 Bal Vaigyanik begins.
2002: Government decides to shut down the programme. Revised edition of the Class 8 Bal Vaigyanik remains unpublished.