SC students compete their way into prestigious foreign universities

New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) Questioning notions that those who get any place through reservation are devoid of merit, several Scheduled Caste students have secured admissions in science and technology courses in the best of universities in the US, UK, Canada, Germany and Australia.

Hailing mostly from small towns and villages across the country, they have obtained scholarship for overseas studies instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

These students were selected for the scheme after rigorous grilling by a committee of experts which was independent of the control of the Ministry.

''These students have earned their place. They deserved to be there,'' said IIT, (Delhi) professor Dr Gopal Agarwal, who was a member of the selection committee.

Welcoming the scholarship awardees at a counselling workshop here, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meera Kumar said there was no dearth of talent among the underprivileged and marginalised sections of the society, but the only thing lacking was opportunity, especially in the field of higher education.

She said that a small window of opportunity in science and technology has been made available by the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

Increasing the weaker sections' representation in higher education was a must for the development of the country, she added.

Mrs Kumar said that a large section of the society and eminent people from the industry, led by Ratan Tata, had endorsed her views regarding the need to provide greater economic opportunities to the disadvantaged.

''They issued a statement inter-alia affirming that merit was not a natural phenomenon but shaped by social circumstances and therefore there was a need to create an environment where youth from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes can become as meritorious as anyother youth,'' the Minister said.

''Here they can personally see that talent was no monopoly of any particular section of the society,'' she added.

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