Schoolchildren Explore Mapping at GeoMap Quiz
The event followed a preliminary round in November that drew about 2,500 students from 25 schools across the city
Hyderabad: The growing interest in geospatial learning among school students came into focus at the GeoMap quiz finals held at the Exhibition Grounds in Nampally on Saturday, where about 400 students competed on map-based tasks.
The event followed a preliminary round in November that drew about 2,500 students from 25 schools across the city. Organisers said the steady rise in participation shows how geography, mapping and spatial thinking are gaining relevance as students encounter these tools through science, environment and technology subjects.
One organiser said that students are “far more confident with spatial tasks than they were even three years ago” and that the format has “pushed schools to take mapping seriously.”
The finals covered modules such as MapFun, which tested the ability to move from map to ground; map analytics and planning based on CURE, PURE, and RARE concepts; and a Musi River development exercise. Skill tests on judging distances were also included. Swarna Subba Rao, former Surveyor General of India, attended as the chief guest. Raghavaswamy, former scientist at the National Remote Sensing Centre, joined as the guest of honour. Both stressed the value of geospatial awareness for young learners. “These skills help students understand their surroundings better and make informed decisions,” an expert at the event said while interacting with participants.
GeoMap Society secretary Maj. Shiva Kiran (retd) said schools need to introduce spatial thinking early. “Children learn faster when they see maps as tools rather than textbook images,” he said. A teacher accompanying one of the finalist teams said the modules “forced students to think on their feet instead of memorising definitions,” adding that this kind of exposure “changes how they understand real world spaces.”
Volunteers and mapping specialists, including Rakesh Bhatnagar, guided the various sessions.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Vidyashram, DAV BDL High School Bhanur and PNM High School secured the top positions in different categories.
Organisers said they plan to expand the programme next year to include more schools and additional hands on tasks that point to a growing use of geospatial technologies in daily life.