Society For Promotion Of Science & Technology In India

What Society For Promotion Of Science & Technology In India does

Society for Promotion of Science & Technology in India (SPSTI) is a not-for-profit NGO founded in 2009 and headquartered in Panchkula, Haryana, that conducts science and technology popularization programs across North India. The organization's mission is to develop scientific temperament among students, teachers, and the broader community, grounded in the constitutional mandate of Article 51A(h). Its core delivery vehicle is the Mobile Science Laboratory (Circus of Science), launched in 2016, which physically visits rural and sub-urban government schools in Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh with hands-on science experiments and demonstration kits. Beyond the mobile laboratory, SPSTI operates Summer Schools in Science & Mathematics (since 2010), Public and Popular Lectures (including a Nobel Prize lecture series and a monthly "How & Why" series), Sky-Watch astronomy events using telescopes, Quiz Competitions, Science Stage Shows, Seminars & Workshops, and the प्रयास (Prayas) evening community awareness program launched in 2018. Programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and rely on partnerships with academic institutions including IISER Mohali and Panjab University, which contribute expert speakers and research scholars.

The organization's underlying technology consists of portable hands-on science demonstration equipment (chemistry kits, physics apparatus, telescopes) and a modest digital footprint (website, social media, online session capability). SPSTI does not sell products or charge tuition; its operating model is grant- and donation-funded. Revenue streams comprise programmatic grants from the Department of Science & Technology and the National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), state-level support from the Haryana State Council for Science & Technology and the Chandigarh Administration, corporate sponsorships (Intel, ISGEC), and public donations. All programs are positioned as free public goods targeting students in government schools, teachers, and rural community members in Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh.

The organization's customer base is bifurcated: beneficiaries (students, teachers, community members) consume services free of charge, while funders (central and state government science bodies, a small number of corporate sponsors, and individual donors) finance operations. Operational leadership is provided by President Dharam Vir (former Chief Secretary of Haryana), General Secretary Prof. Keya Dharamvir (former Physics Professor at Panjab University), and Director M.L. Garg (retired Punjab Government Superintending Engineer), supported by a small named team of program managers, coordinators, and science communicators. Cumulative reported impact includes 47,000+ beneficiaries served by the Mobile Science Laboratory, 50+ schools visited since April 2016, 2,200+ evening community awareness programs in Haryana villages, and 15 villages covered in the first phase of the प्रयास program in Kurukshetra District.

Name

Society For Promotion Of Science & Technology In India

Legal name

Society for Promotion of Science & Technology in India

Website

https://spsti.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SPSTI is a not-for-profit NGO founded in 2009 that conducts science popularization outreach programs — including a Mobile Science Laboratory, Summer Schools, public lectures, and sky-watch events — targeting students, teachers, and rural communities across Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, funded primarily by Indian government science bodies and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education & Outreach Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMABAI

Earth Science & Geoscience Programs

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

Keywords

• Science education outreach
• Mobile science laboratory
• Science popularization programs
• Community STEM education
• Rural science awareness

Headquarters

HQ city

Chandigarh

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding: SPSTI receives support from government bodies including Department of Science & Technology, National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), and various state government departments for conducting science popularization programs.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: The organization accepts online donations and sponsorships from supporters including corporations like Intel, ISGEC, and others to fund science education initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SPSTI is a not-for-profit NGO that delivers free science and technology outreach educational programs to students, teachers, and the general public in rural and sub-urban North India. Its core offerings include the Mobile Science Laboratory (Circus of Science) that brings hands-on experiments to government schools, Summer Schools in Science & Mathematics, public lectures, sky-watch astronomy events, quiz competitions, seminars/workshops, science stage shows, and evening community awareness programs (प्रयास). Programs are supported by NCSTC, Department of Science & Technology, IISER Mohali, Panjab University, and various state government bodies.

Product overview

SPSTI is an NGO focused on science popularization and development of scientific temperament among students, teachers, and the general public. The organization operates as a unified suite of educational outreach programs rather than a modular platform. Its core offerings include the Mobile Science Laboratory (Circus of Science) which brings hands-on experiments to rural schools, Summer Schools in Science & Mathematics for intensive seasonal education, Public & Popular Lectures featuring eminent scientists, Sky Watch Events for astronomy observation, Quiz Competitions, Science Stage Shows, Seminars & Workshops, Evening Community Awareness Programs under the प्रयास initiative, and Do It Yourself Experiment resources. The programs are conducted across Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, supported by organizations including NCSTC, Department of Science & Technology, and various state education departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mobile Science Laboratory – Circus of Science: A mobile laboratory programme that visits schools in rural and sub-urban areas conducting hands-on science experiments and demonstrations.
• Summer Schools in Science & Mathematics
• Sky-Watch Events
• How & Why Monthly Lecture Series
• प्रयास (Prayas) – The Community Programs

Products and services

• Mobile Science Laboratory - Circus of Science A mobile laboratory programme that visits government schools in rural and sub-urban areas to conduct hands-on science experiments, demonstrations, and interactive sessions for students. Operates under the Vigyan Ka Jantar Mantar initiative with support from NCSTC, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
• Summer Schools in Science & Mathematics Annual intensive educational programme providing science and mathematics education to students during summer breaks, running in schools across Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh districts.
• Public & Popular Lectures Public lecture series featuring eminent scientists and academicians on topics including Nobel Prize winners, advanced technology applications, and scientific discoveries. Includes the How & Why Monthly Lecture Series and Lectures on Nobel Prize.
• Sky Watch Events Astronomy observation programmes and celestial event viewing sessions including solar/lunar eclipse viewings, planet observations, and telescope-based sky watching workshops conducted at public locations with expert support from IISER Mohali and Panjab University.
• Quiz Competitions Science and mathematics quiz competitions organized at district and state levels to engage students in competitive learning and knowledge assessment.
• Science Stage Shows Interactive science demonstrations and theatrical presentations designed to make scientific concepts accessible and engaging for public audiences.
• Seminar & Workshops Educational seminars and workshops covering various scientific topics, conducted for students, teachers, and the general public to promote scientific temperament.
• Evening Community Awareness Programs (प्रयास / Prayas) Community outreach programmes conducted in rural villages that include video screenings on social issues, scientific topics, advancements in agriculture, space programs, health issues, and environment, with home visits and PA system announcements to invite participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2200 Evening Community Awareness Programs conducted in villages of Haryana
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Haryana State Council for Science, Technology & InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2020Haryana State Council for Science, Technology & Innovation supported the online astronomical session on Blue Moon held on October 31, 2020.
• National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSTC, DST, Govt. of India provides catalytic and programmatic support for the Mobile Science Laboratory - Circus of Science initiative. Multiple programs are conducted in collaboration with NCSTC including the Vigyan Ka Jantar Mantar programme.
• Department of Science & Technology, Chandigarh AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Sky Watch event conducted on October 28, 2018 at Rose Garden, Chandigarh.
• Haryana State Council for Science & TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaryana State Council for Science & Technology supports MSL Yamunanagar operations.
• Haryana Samgra Shiksha Pariyojna (HSSPP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaryana Samgra Shiksha Pariyojna (HSSPP) supported district education department Yamunanagar in organizing science activities.
• IntelminorOthersListed as a supporter of SPSTI with logo displayed on supporter page.
• ISGECminorOthersListed as a supporter of SPSTI with logo displayed on supporter page.
• NIILM UniversityminorOthersListed as a supporter of SPSTI with logo displayed on supporter page.
• Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali (IISER Mohali)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIISER Mohali provides expert support for sky-watch events and astronomical sessions. Prof. J.S. Bagla and research scholars from IISER regularly participate in SPSTI events.
• Panjab UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanjab University Physics Department partners with SPSTI for sky-watch workshops. Prof. Keya Dharamvir (formerly of Panjab University) and MSc students participate in events.
• Department of Science & Technology (DST), HaryanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter of SPSTI with logo displayed on supporter page. Provides programmatic support for science outreach initiatives.
• Chandigarh AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter with logo. Department of Science, Technology & Renewable Energy, Chandigarh Administration organized awareness programs with SPSTI.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pratham Education Foundation: Largest Indian education NGO; runs large-scale learning programs across rural India, including STEM/learning camps and community science initiatives, with a similar community-led go-to-market and reliance on CSR/government funding.
• Vigyan Prasar: Autonomous organization under the Department of Science & Technology that runs national programs for popularization of science, including science exhibitions, mobile science exhibitions, and lectures — the larger, government-backed counterpart to SPSTI's outreach mission.
• Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE): TIFR's national centre for science education; runs Olympiads, teacher training, and science-popularization research at a national level with strong academic rigor — comparable mission (developing scientific temperament) at a much larger institutional scale.
• Astronomical Society of India (ASI) Public Outreach: India's national professional astronomical society with active public outreach, sky-watch programs, and school engagement — comparable to SPSTI's astronomy events and partnerships with IISER/Panjab University.

Direct peers

• SPACE (Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators): India-based organization running astronomy and sky observation events, telescope workshops, and school astronomy programs — directly comparable to SPSTI's Sky-Watch events and online astronomical sessions.
• Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF): India-based non-profit that runs national science and math Olympiads plus experiential science initiatives in schools — overlaps with SPSTI's quiz competitions and rural-school STEM engagement.
• Eklavya Foundation: Madhya Pradesh-based NGO producing science and math teaching-learning materials and running residential/outreach science programs for rural children — comparable in mission and rural K-12 science-popularization focus.
• Agastya International Foundation: One of India's largest science-education NGOs; operates mobile science labs and hands-on science programs reaching rural and government schoolchildren — directly comparable in mission, delivery model, and beneficiary base to SPSTI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dharamvir1949
• Facebookfacebook.com/SPSTI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spsti-india

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Society For Promotion Of Science & Technology In India