Government planning to expand the coverage of INSPIRE award scheme during the 12th plan

Updated on: Thursday, October 25, 2012

Buoyed by the response to its scheme to promote pursuit of science, government said it plans to increase the number of students covered under the initiative to 20 lakh over the next five years.

Launched in 2008, the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) has reached 6.75 lakh students two students from each school of the country of class 6th to 10th standard.

The INSPIRE programme was launched by the Department of Science and Technology for attracting students to take up basic sciences as a career option.

Minister of State for Science and Technology Ashwani Kumar said, "A proposal to expand the coverage of scheme during the 12th Plan, to select one child per school per year is under consideration of the Government, this would mean 20 lakh awards will be sanctioned during the five-year period at about four lakh awards per year."

Currently, under the scheme, two students are eligible from each school during the Five Year Plan period for an INSPIRE Award of Rs 5,000 each for preparing a science project/model.

These awardees who are students from classes VI to X, then participate in a three tier-competition District, State and National Level.

Kumar was speaking after giving away the state level awards to students at the 2nd National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC) here.

This year, 1138 children participated in the NLEPC which gives them an opportunity to converge at one point and witness each other's scientific pursuits and talents.

More Education news

• Karnataka department of higher education to further strengthen protection to women students and employees
• Heads of government and private schools directed to keep a close watch on the behaviour of teachers
• Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions submits his report
• Everyone will be given due representation says Goa CM
• Pune Education Department to hold meetings with schools to ensure a smooth RTE implementation
• Health and Medical Education, Forest and Home departments within the ambit of Public Services Guarantee Act
• 'value education' courses in engineering colleges to inculcate better values and character building
• students challenge new NET gidelines
• Proposed multi crore edu city project nearing completion
• 21 engineering colleges affiliated to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University to seek accreditation
• MBBS and PG medical seats to be increased by 50% and 100% respectively from academic year 2013-14
• M S University's faculty of fine arts mired in controversy over a painting hurting religious sentiment
• IICA inks MoU with Bangalore-based National Law School of India University for forging academic partnership
• President asks private players to contribute in improving the standards of higher education
• First technical and medical university at picturesque Apatani Plateau in lower Subansiri district
• Prayas scheme to be extended to 4 more districts
• Jamia Millia Islamia Professor gets Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship
• Japans new government will not waive tution fee to pro-Pyongyang high schools
• Most Israeli high school students found accessing Mobile phone during class hours
• UGC notifies the procedure and criteria for declaration of result for NET to be conducted on 30.12.12