"Inspire" To Attract Youth to Study Science

LOK SABHA

The Government has mounted a special scholarship scheme titled “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)” to attract talented youth to study and careers with science. The main features of the INSPIRE are: a) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS) providing Science innovation scholarship of Rs.5000 for a total of one million young learners of the age group 10-15 years once in their school career and mentorship through global science leaders including Nobel Laureates and Indians leaders in science at a summer camp for the top 1% performers in the Class X examination every year for period of five years; b) Scholarships for Higher Education (SHE) for the age group of 17-22 years @ Rs. 1 lakh per year for continuing science education at B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels for 10,000 candidates and c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC) for 1000 young researchers in the age group of 22-32 years for 5 years to pursue doctoral research in science backed by an assured career opportunity scheme for another period of five years on completion of their Ph. D. The INSPIRE Programme, as it offers Science as a career option by providing necessary opportunities to youth with aptitude for science and a desire to innovate, in addition to reasonable financial assistance, would help in producing more science students and Ph.Ds and help in increasing the stock of the scientific community necessary for meeting future challenges including preventing the brain drain.

The scheme also envisages that the available number of scholarships would be distributed to students from various Boards based on total number of students taken their examinations in the respective Boards including West Bengal. The total allocation for the entire 11th Five Year Plan is Rs.2250 crores for the INSPIRE Programme and is presently at various levels of Government approval.

This information was given by Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal in a written reply to a question by Shri S.K. Kharventhan in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Inormation Bureau
Date: March 18, 2008