Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Children now focus on personality development

A. A. Michael Raj

COIMBATORE: It was `back to school' for 100 rural school students from Erode and Namakkal districts, all of who had been attending summer classes at the PSG College of Arts and Science during the past two weeks.

They were in the third and final phase of the Young Student Scientist Programme organised by the college in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology for outstanding students from Government schools.

"They are all students who have completed their 10th Standard," said the course director, R. Selvakumaran. "All of them were selected when they were in the 8th Standard and came here after their 8th and 9th exams. During the last two years they used the physics and chemistry labs, so this year the programme was more on personality development."

Theories in science

Through the programme, the students broadened their knowledge of science concepts and spent time doing practical work in the laboratory. For many of them, it was undoubtedly an exciting time for they were able to perform experiments that illustrated various theories in the basic sciences.

"This time the students took psychological tests to help them understand which careers were most suitable for them. They learnt communication skills, science writing and the use of the Internet. There were also classes on AIDS awareness," he said.

Choices open to students

During the third phase there were fewer lectures and classroom study sessions, with the students interacting more with experts on courses and careers. An official from the District Employment Office explained the choices open to them when they completed various branches of study at colleges and universities.

A visit to the PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research gave the youngsters an opportunity to see the anatomy lab and the blood bank.

At the Pasteur Institute in Coonoor, they listened with much interest to facts about the preservation of vaccines. At local branches of a bank and post office, officials explained how the institutions were essential to the everyday functioning of modern society.

"All of them are very motivated and will certainly have an edge over the other students. It is a programme to develop science talent. What they have learnt here, they will tell younger students," Prof. Selvakumaran said.

In the computer laboratory at the college, the youngsters quickly grasped the essentials of computer hardware and software. They were happy to open their own e-mail accounts, send messages to one another.

Prof. Selvakumaran, Head of the Department of Microbiology, said that members of various faculties spared time for the youngsters.

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