K'taka to promote scientific temper among poor rural students

Bangalore, Aug 17 (UNI) As part of its efforts to promote scientific temper among poor students in rural areas, the Karnataka Government has decided to provide scholarships to meritorious students to enable them pursue higher studies in the area of life sciences, Science and Technology Minister Ramachandragowda informed today.

Speaking at a function organised here to distribute state level science and tecnhology awards, he said the government had planned to provide the scholarships to students who score more than 70 per cent in SSLC examination and aspire to pursue higher studies in pure sciences.

He said the government was also planning to introduce a science quiz programme for SSLC and PUC students from taluk to state level as part of the promotion programme. This measure was necessary as the number of students opting for pure sciences was reducing year after year, he explained.

At least 22 scientists and engineers were presented with the Science awards for 2004 and 2005 under four categories-- Sir Visvesvariah Award, Sir C V Raman Award, Prof Satish Dhavan Award and Dr Kalpana Chawla Award--for their contributions in the fields of science and technology, physical science, medical science, earth science, agriculture science and computer science.

UNI SIV RG HVB1433