IIT Kanpur’s NICEE Conducts 16th Annual Quiz Competition on Earthquake Safety for Schools

The National Information Centre of Earthquake Engineering (NICEE) at IIT Kanpur successfully hosted its 16th annual Inter-School Quiz Competition on Earthquake Safety, with Gwalior Glory High School taking the top spot. The final round brought together seven esteemed schools from North India, reflecting the institution's dedication to raising awareness about earthquake safety among young students.

The competition was based on NICEE's publication "IITK-BMTPC Earthquake Tips" by Prof. CVR Murty and featured four challenging rounds: Round Robin, Picture Round, Rapid Fire, and Lucky Number. Among the finalists, Gwalior Glory High School emerged victorious, while Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan's Prism School, Satna, and Sheiling House School, Kanpur, secured the second and third positions, respectively.

Prof. Durgesh C. Rai, speaking at the event, emphasized the importance of engaging young minds to spread awareness about earthquake safety in their communities. He highlighted how initiatives like this quiz contribute to building grassroots strategies for mitigating earthquake damage.

Since its inception in 2009, the quiz competition has become a cornerstone of NICEE's outreach efforts. Each year, the selection process begins in March, with participating schools receiving 50 copies of the earthquake safety guide to prepare their four-member teams. This year’s event was skillfully managed by the NICEE team, led by Cdr. Suresh Ailawadi (Retd.), along with Mr. Shivesh Pandey, Ms. Shradha Shukla, and Mr. Moti Lal.

Cdr. Ailawadi expressed gratitude to all contributors, including participants, teachers, principals, parents, and departments across IIT Kanpur, such as Civil Engineering, the Visitors’ Hostel, and the Outreach Auditorium, for their support in making the event a success.

This initiative remains a crucial platform for fostering seismic safety awareness among school students, aligning with NICEE's goal of spreading earthquake safety knowledge across India.

Established in 1959, the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is recognized as an Institute of National Importance under an Act of Parliament. Renowned for its excellence in science and engineering education, IIT Kanpur has made substantial contributions to research and innovation over the years.