A Comparative Study of Exoplanet Awareness and STEM Interest Among Rural and Urban Students in India

This research paper explores how students in rural and urban areas of India learn about space, exoplanets, and STEM careers. The study is based on a survey of over 325 students from schools in rural Goa and urban Bangalore. It examines their awareness of exoplanets, compares it to their knowledge of black holes, and identifies factors that influence their interest in space science.

The results show that while urban students have better access to information and resources, rural students have just as much curiosity but fewer opportunities to learn. A major reason for this gap is the lack of engaging and structured educational materials on exoplanets.

To solve this problem, the paper highlights Axosky!, an interactive learning platform designed to make exoplanet education more accessible and fun for students. The study concludes that digital tools like Axosky! can help bridge the gap and encourage more students—especially from rural areas—to explore space science and STEM careers.