IEEE’s Hands-On STEM Activities for India’s Rural Areas

“Until we achieve equality in education, we will not have an equal society. » Delivered by Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, these words resonate powerfully in parts of the world where education is not guaranteed.

In the far northeast of India, where villages are located in forests, in mountains and along river banks, rural classrooms often operate with limited resources and even fewer opportunities. In districts such as Dhemaji, Assam and rural areas of Kharagpur and West Bengal, STEM learning is often just a distant dream.

I grew up in rural areas and saw how curiosity about science collided with poverty. Many students’ futures depend entirely on achieving good grades to determine whether they are “worthy” of studying technical subjects later. A poor grade on an exam can completely derail their future. More importantly, the lack of fully equipped labs, trained mentors, or exposure to STEM careers prevents many children from imagining a career in engineering.

This is not just an educational issue. It’s an equity issue, directly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ensure quality education for all.

This is a challenge that organizations like the IEEE, with its global technical community, are poised to meet. As technology becomes more and more imperative in daily life, mastery of electronics and programming is no longer optional: it is essential.

STEM Outreach Programs

In December 2020, volunteers from the joint student chapter of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Societies – Microwave Theory and Techniques (IEEE AP-MTT) at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur launched a grassroots STEM outreach initiative with the support of the IEEE Kharagpur Section.

I coordinated the initiative, which began when I was secretary of the student chapter. (I also served as vice president and president from 2020 to 2022.) Today, I am a student ambassador for the IEEE MTT Society and the IEEE Young Professionals co-chair of the IEEE Benelux MTT-AP Joint Chapter.

The program’s mission was simple: to make practical electronics accessible to students who had never seen an Arduino board.

It started with training in the fundamentals of circuit building (LEDs, switches, breadboards, and batteries) and progressed to Arduino programming, automation, and sensor integration. Volunteers emphasized teamwork and friendly competition to keep students engaged.

Through simple and relevant demonstrations, even complex topics such as electromagnetic concepts were explained in a way that students could understand. The methodology has not only improved understanding; it also sparked enthusiasm. In the first year, nearly 100 students from five schools benefited from this program. The model is now known as Teach, Train, and Build (TTB). The initiative was recognized in 2021 with the IEEE Darrel Chong Student Activity Award.

The birth of leisure clubs

The success of the TTB led to additional funding from the IEEE Special Interest Group in Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT) program in 2022.. This support from IEEE SIGHT enabled the implementation of three electronic hobby labs in underserved schools in Assam and West Bengal. E-HuTS (electronic hobby clubs for technical development in rural schools) laboratories have become permanent spaces where students learn, experiment and innovate.

The inauguration ceremony of the E-HuTS was a highlight. To further inspire the students, Mrinal Mandal, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at IIT Kharagpur, gave a motivational speech in Bengali. The immediate result was that a group of students built a smart home using Arduino and wireless communication modules – something they never imagined they could do.

Reducing gender disparities

A similar transformation took place in Assam, where the TTB program was delivered entirely in the Assamese language, ensuring inclusion of students with limited exposure to English. After completing the program, the students proudly displayed their IEEE certificates.

One of the best aspects of the Assam program was the massive participation of girl students. Many young women were interacting with electronics for the first time – an inspiring step toward reducing gender disparities in the STEM field.

Real impact: projects, trust and recognition

The over 85 students who joined hobby clubs from Assam and West Bengal have developed nearly three dozen projects, including sensor-based alarms and environmental monitoring systems. The innovations were not replicas; these were original designs created by students and developed under the guidance of an IEEE mentor.

The initiative was mentioned in the 2022 IEEE Annual Report and in an article in The Institute about 2022 IEEE Education Week Activities.

To ensure measurable program progress, the TTB team also implemented an evaluation matrix inspired by IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board guidelines. The spreadsheet tracked results, including the number of workshops held, hours taught, and tools provided. It also measured outcomes such as skill development, knowledge retention, student engagement and long-term interest.

The structured methodology made the project replicable and transparent, providing a framework for future STEM outreach efforts.

New chapters, new beginnings

The momentum from these initiatives helped trigger the creation of IEEE communities in India. In 2023, the IEEE student branch of Dibrugarh University in Assam was established, followed in 2024 by the university’s IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society student branch chapter. The groups became centers of volunteer activity, ensuring their long-term sustainability.

This year the TTB team organized TechnoFest: Udhvav 2.0, which brought together engineers, scientists, speakers and members of the IEEE Young Professionals group with area students. For many participants, it was their first opportunity to interact with true innovators and role models, transforming the festival into an energizing platform of inspiration and visibility for rural youth.

A visit to Vidhya: The living school

Also in 2023, through a grant from the IEEE MTT-S Ambassador program, IEEE volunteers visited Vidhya: The Living School, in Dhemaji. The session took place outdoors in October, amidst breathtaking natural scenery, demonstrating that learning thrives even outside of traditional infrastructure.

Another milestone came in 2024, when the IEEE MTT-S SIGHT group awarded a US$1,000 grant to the school for its Vidhya Shakti project to install solar panels to provide uninterrupted and sustainable power supply to the school.

The student ambassadors met several eminent personalities who have made notable contributions to STEM education in India. Among them were Pranjal Buragohain, founder of the Vidhya School; chemist Binoy Kumar Saikia, recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in India; and astronomer Kishor Baruah, known for creating programs for visually impaired students.

Another heartwarming stop was at Tai Phake School near Naharkatya, where one of the first E-HuTS laboratories was established in 2022.

The initiative has grown well beyond its initial mission. It is now:

• Connects universities to remote schools.
• Empowering disadvantaged students.
• Nurtures future IEEE volunteers.
• Reduces gender barriers.
• Creates sustainable technical ecosystems.
• Builds a culture of giving back.

What started with a few mockups and LEDs is now shaping the future of budding engineers across India. More than 100 students have been impacted, dozens of projects have been built, and schools now have functioning electronics labs. New IEEE student branches have emerged, and communities once isolated from STEM education are now part of the growing technology landscape.

The journey continues, driven by connection, compassion, and the belief that every student, no matter where they live, deserves access to a quality STEM education.