Sakura Science Programme 2026: 56 Indian Students Visit Japan
Why in the news
A group of 56 school students from India left for Japan on a science-and-culture exchange, flagged off by the education ministry. The trip is part of the Sakura Science Programme 2026.
Key facts
- Programme: Sakura Science Programme, earlier called the Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science.
- Organiser: Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), a public agency under Japan’s MEXT, which both funds and runs it.
- Indian nodal body: Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education.
- Format: a week-long visit mixing exposure to advanced science with cultural immersion.
- Indian contingent in 2026: 56 students.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Countries involved | Japan, India, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa |
| Batch | May 2026 |
| Visitors from India since inclusion (2016) | 674 students and 96 supervisors |
| Cultural component | Yes, covers Japan’s history and society |
Aims of the programme
- Widen the horizons of young learners and encourage scientific curiosity.
- Strengthen bilateral relations through youth and education diplomacy.
- Show students Japan’s science and technology ecosystem along with its culture and heritage.
Background: NMMS scheme
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship is a centrally sponsored scheme begun in 2008 and run by DoSEL. Selection through it is now treated as a merit benchmark for visits such as Sakura Science.
- Goal: keep bright students from economically weaker sections in school after Class 8, up to Class 12, cutting dropouts.
- Eligibility: parental income below ₹3.5 lakh a year, plus clearing a two-tier test (Mental Ability Test and Scholastic Aptitude Test) held by State education departments.
- Benefit: ₹12,000 a year (raised from ₹6,000) for classes 9 to 12, credited via DBT.
Exam angle
- Nodal department: DoSEL, Ministry of Education; implementing agency: JST.
- Original name: Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science.
- Sakura Science has cultural exchange too; it is not purely scientific.
- NMMS tests: MAT and SAT, scholarship ₹12,000 per year.