Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Catching them young to promote science

G. Mahadevan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment is all set to re-launch its `scheme for promoting young talents in science' (SPYTiS) in schools and colleges in the State in the coming academic year.

The scheme, designed to identity and nurture basic science skills among school and college students, was launched in 2005 but did not evoke the kind of response that the council was hoping for.

"This year we have decided to be proactive in promoting SPYTiS," member secretary of the council K.R.S. Krishnan told The Hindu here on Tuesday. "We have decided to ask the Department of Education to conduct competitions in all the 14 districts in June to identity at least five students/ teams from schools to carry out various experiments or projects. We hope to get at least 70 projects for us to fund."

Under the SPYTiS-1 scheme, five students from each district will be given Rs.5,000 to carry out a science project in a well-equipped school. The period of the award is one year. Under the SPYTiS-2 scheme, the council will fund research projects thought up by students in colleges and polytechnics in the State. There is no upper limit for the funding for the scheme. For the scheme, the accent is on `demonstration of innovative ideas in science and technology.' Unlike last year, the council plans to directly fund the candidates who are selected for the projects.

"Under SPYTiS-2, we are looking at projects that are original and practical; something that will lead to the development of a device or a discovery that will be useful to society. We will not fund anything that is esoteric or abstract in nature," Dr. Krishnan said.

Though the awards under both sections of the scheme are for one year, the council plans to encourage students/teams to finish work on their projects by November this year so that their projects can be presented at the National Children's Science Congress to be held that month. Sixteen projects from the State can be presented at the Congress. If SPYTiS-2 does not elicit the desired level of response this year, the council will pull in projects submitted under other award schemes for student-scientists.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Travancore Titanium to expedite pollution control project
Sathyan-Lal chemistry clicks
Placement firm to conduct screening tests
A club with a difference
Child caught for begging awaits foster-care
RSS-KDP clash at Kunnumpara
Adoor to be honoured
Child awaits foster-care
Catching them young to promote science
PSC tests for teachers in May
Woman with disability run over
Adoor to be honoured
Training programme on biodiversity conservation
Beating the summer heat
Around the City
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu