ICMR Opens Research Labs to Young Scientists with ICMR-SHINE 2026

The programme began with Naidu and Mohol inaugurating a Digital Video Wall, followed by dignitaries, officials and other participants joining in a rendition of “Vande Mataram.”

Thousands of school students across India have stepped beyond textbooks and into working research environments through the second edition of ICMR-SHINE, a nationwide programme designed to make biomedical science and public health research more accessible to young people.

The Department of Health Research and Indian Council of Medical Research concluded ICMR-SHINE 2026 — Science & Health Innovation for the Nextgen Explorers on 12 August. Students from Classes 9 to 12 were invited into ICMR laboratories to meet researchers, observe scientific work and understand how health research connects with everyday life.

Research Experience Reaches Students Beyond Major Cities

This year's programme covered 83 locations across 31 States and Union Territories, reaching communities in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, the Andaman Islands and rural parts of Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

For students with little previous exposure to professional laboratories, the visits offered a closer look at how scientists investigate diseases, study public health problems and develop solutions that can eventually benefit communities.

Activities were designed to make technical subjects easier to explore, with demonstrations, poster walks and practical sessions covering topics such as laboratory hygiene and body mass index. The programme also used its mascot, Dr Curio, across videos and educational material to give younger participants a friendly introduction to research.

Mobile Laboratories Bring High-Level Science Within Reach

Students visiting centres in Nagpur and Gorakhpur encountered sophisticated Mobile BSL-3 laboratories, which allow high-containment research capabilities to be taken into field settings when required.

In Delhi, students presented innovations developed through NITI Aayog's Atal Tinkering Labs, giving young creators an opportunity to demonstrate their own solutions alongside exposure to professional health research.

The combination of observation and hands-on learning gave participants a chance to understand that scientific careers involve more than laboratory experiments, extending into disease prevention, community health, technology and problem-solving.

Nationwide Competition Encourages Students to Investigate Health Problems

ICMR has also launched a dedicated SHINE website where students can find programme information, learning resources and opportunities connected with health research. A nationwide school competition will extend the experience by asking students to identify real public health challenges, develop research questions and suggest possible solutions using scientific thinking.

Applications for the competition are open until 11 September 2026, with submissions accepted through the SHINE portal. Schools have responded positively, with teachers calling for more frequent opportunities that allow students to experience research beyond regular classroom lessons.

Through SHINE, ICMR is seeking to encourage scientific curiosity at an age when students are beginning to consider future study and career choices, while making research opportunities visible to young people regardless of whether they live in major cities or more remote communities.