What began with a simple wish from students has transformed the way science is taught in a Chandigarh government school.

Ravi Kumar Jaiswal, a science teacher at Government Model High School, Maloya Colony, has been selected for the National Teachers Award 2026 for his innovative approach to education. Jaiswal is among 48 teachers selected by the Department of School Education and Literacy for this year’s prestigious honour.

His most striking innovation? A three-dimensional dome theatre built inside the school using waste materials.

A Science City Experience at School

Jaiswal said his students often expressed a desire to visit Science City in Kapurthala. Instead of simply telling them to wait for a field trip, he decided to recreate a slice of that experience inside their own school.

Using materials including discarded tins and thermocol, he transformed a school hall into an immersive dome theatre. Students can watch videos and images related to space and other scientific subjects projected across the three-dimensional dome, turning conventional lessons into experiences that encourage curiosity and engagement.

The idea proved so successful that similar dome theatres have since been created in six government schools across Chandigarh.

More Than a Dome Theatre

Jaiswal’s classroom innovations do not end there. According to a report in The Indian Express, Jaiswal has also established a weather station, complete with a rain gauge, allowing students to observe weather conditions and understand scientific concepts through real-world data.

His students have also represented the school at national-level science exhibitions, with 20 of them earning recognition, according to Jaiswal. One student even travelled to Japan last year as part of a science exchange programme.

For Jaiswal, teaching also means ensuring that financial difficulties do not become barriers to education. He has supported students financially when they needed assistance, and two of his former students are now pursuing PhD programmes at Panjab University, Chandigarh.

He also credited the Chandigarh Education Department for supporting his innovations and helping him take his ideas beyond a single classroom.

Jaiswal, who studied in Chandigarh himself, says his teaching philosophy is deeply connected to his own experiences as a student. He wants to help children overcome the obstacles he once encountered and give them opportunities he may have missed.