Nichod
अनुसन्धान निचोड प्रस्तुति प्रतियोगिता
a national competition of research students to share their
research findings to general public in 3 minutes
Nichod is an annual flagship program of National Young Academy of Nepal jointly organized with Pokhara University Research Centre (PURC). This is a national competition program of research students to share their research findings to the general public in three minutes.
The Nichod competition is inspired from 3MT competition initiated by the University of Queensland and has been extended to undergraduate students in addition to the graduate students.
Science communication is an important and integral part of the research. This initiative encourages and trains students to effectively explain their research findings among the audience beyond their subject domain in just three minutes. With the main motto “Research for social impact”, Nichod aims to bridge the gap between scientists and the community while developing students’ skills in academic research, presentation, and communication.
Eligibility
PhD, Master, and Bachelor level students who are in the final stage of their thesis research (not more than one year of completion of thesis research).
Research students enrolled in Nepali colleges and universities.
Any academic domains including but limited to agricultural sciences, engineering, and technology, medical and health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, law, and business.
The research MUST be original research carried by the student
Categories
The Nichod competition will be in two categories:
a) Graduate (Ph.D. and Masters)
b) Undergraduate (Bachelors)
Application Process
Complete the registration form
Submit a video recording describing thesis research in not more than three minutes along with the registration form.
An individual can submit only one entry.
Applicants may choose either English or Nepali as their preferred language of presentation
There is no entry fee.
Guidelines for video competition – first round
An official approval letter from the academic supervisor/head is necessary for the submission of the work in the competition. The letter should state that the research was carried out by the student and is allowed to share the findings in 3 minute format. CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE LETTER
Presentations are limited to three minutes. Videos longer than three minutes are disqualified.
The three minute time begins when the presenter starts to speak.
Only a single static PowerPoint slide is permitted.
PowerPoint slide should not use animations, sound, or video clips.
The video must include a clear self-image of the presenter in the corner of the video.
Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., poems, raps, or songs are not permitted).
Video must be clearly audible and visible with minimum background noise and light.
Participants will not be judged on video/recording quality or editing capabilities. Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.
Guidelines for physical/virtual competition – final round
Short-listed applicants from first round will be selected for the final round of the competition.
The final round will be conducted as a physical or virtual live competition based on COVID-19 situation.
The general rules for the presentation will be the same as in the first round.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session by the jury members.
Judging Criteria and Marking
An independent jury team will evaluate the competition submissions. The decision of the adjudicating panel is final. The submissions will be evaluated based on:
Quality of video content
● Did the presentation provide clear background and significance to the research question?
● Did the presentation clearly describe the research design and the findings of the research?
● Did the presentation clearly describe the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research?
Quality of communication and presentation
● Was the research effectively communicated to a non-specialist audience through presentation skills?
● Was the PowerPoint slide well-defined and did it enhance the presentation?
Prizes and certificates
All presenters will be provided a certificate of participation. Two winners will receive a certificate and cash prize as follows.
Graduate category: NRs. 50000/-
Undergraduate category: NRs. 30000/-
Timeline for Nichod
Registration open: April
Registration close: June
Pre-selection and confirmation to participants: August
Final competition: September | Ashoj 1 (Bigwan Diwas)
Tutorial videos
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you are a student interested to participate on NICHOD competition, below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that will help you to get started.
Q 1. What is NICHOD Competition?
Ans: NICHOD competition is a skill development challenge activity for a research student to explain original research findings to a non-specialized audience in just 3 minutes.
Q 2. Who is eligible to compete in NICHOD?
(Example: I have done my bachelor’s degree in architecture. My thesis topic is special economic zone at Panchkhal. Is such architectural thesis ok for this competition?)
Ans: Graduate and undergraduate (Masters and PhD) students of any faculty (Management, Law, Arts Science, Education, Engineering, History, Mass communications etc.) registered in Nepali college or university are eligible to participate.
Q 3. What happens when presentation length increases more than 3 minutes?
Ans: You are disqualified for NICHOD competition in first round.
Q 4. What is allowed on my NICHOD presentation slide?
Ans: A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. Slide transitions, animations or movement of any description are not permitted. Your slide is to be presented only by narration.
Q 5. Which platform should I use for video recording?
Ans: You can use PowerPoint 2019/Zoom/ Google meet for recording or any other platform you have.
Q 6. How do I record a video without Powerpoint 2019?
Ans: You can use the Powerpoint slide then use screen recording applications. Open the slide that you want to put the screen recording on. Select according to your timeline. Please refer to the Video tutorial “How to record the video for NICHOD?”
Q 7. How can I change Powerpoint slide to video?
Ans: You can change your Powerpoint slide by exporting to create video option. Please refer to the Video tutorial “How to record the video for NICHOD?”
Q 8. I was not able to record video on PowerPoint from my laptop as my laptop camera and sound system were not working properly. May I use other mobile application to record?
Ans: If you have a problem to record on your PowerPoint, then you can choose other options like ZOOM, GOOGLE Meet, Microsoft Teams etc. But you should fulfil all the other guidelines to prepare the video for NICHOD.
Q 9. What happens if I go over 3 minutes in final round?
Ans: You will be warned when you have 30 seconds left and be notified by a sign and a bell at three minutes. Part of the presentation beyond 3 minutes will not be judged.
Q 10 What happens when I mistakenly upload wrong video?
Ans: Be careful while preparing for submission of your video because one email address allows to submit one application. Therefore, fill your correct information and video for submission, check carefully and submit after ensuring all the information provided are correct.
Q 11 Is it mandatory to maintain the uniformity in language for the presentation?
Ans: Yes. Participants should maintain the uniformity in any one of the languages (either English or Nepali) throughout the presentation as chosen in the registration form.