Govt. to offer scholarships

By T.S. Ranganna

BANGALORE, MAY 26. Alarmed by the declining number of students with high marks taking up basic sciences at the degree level, and the consequent shortage of good teachers in schools, the State Government has decided to offer scholarships to such students to do science courses.

Disclosing this to The Hindu, the Director of Collegiate Education, Prof. Srinivasarao Hejib, said that in recent years, the number of students with high marks taking up B.Sc. courses was dwindling, because of the growing penchant for professional courses in computer technology, electronics and communications, apart from medicine.

The number of students taking up B.Sc. courses in all the recognised colleges in the State -- government, aided and unaided -- was around 10,000, much less that what it used to be some years ago. Their marks were in the range of 50 to 55 per cent. Apart from engineering colleges and polytechnics, a large number of private institutes were also offering job-oriented courses which were attracting many students.

Prof. Hejib said students in schools were already hit by a lack of good teachers, as majority of the better students were opting for professional courses. As the quality of teaching fell, the performance of the students would also come down. If the situation was allowed to continue, it would prove disastrous for the field of science itself.

The number of people taking up research in the various national and State-level research institutes was also dwindling, and leading researchers had expressed concern over the development. But, so far effective measures had not been thought of to attract good students towards basic sciences and the humanities.

The fall in the number of students has also resulted in the closure of many colleges offering basic science courses. The Government was considering the merger of some colleges in order to make them feasible. Asked how many students with more than 70 per cent marks had joined B.Sc. courses last year, he said the number might not cross the two-figure mark.

The decision of the Government to allow more engineering colleges to be set up in the State would take away more good students and even below-average ones, further reducing their numbers at the B.Sc. level.

In view of this dangerous trend, Prof. Hejib said the Government had approved a proposal by the directorate to introduce a scholarship scheme to attract students who passed the pre- university examination with over 70 per cent marks. A hundred students would be given a scholarship of Rs. 10,000 a year each in the coming academic year if they opted for a B.Sc. course in any college. The scholarship would continue if went on to do M.Sc. He hoped that poor students who could not afford professional courses would make use of this opportunity. If more than 100 students sought scholarship, those with higher marks would get preference.

All colleges offering science courses had been informed about the scheme which the Cabinet had already approved, he added.

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