| Friday, April 11, 2008
SRM University scholarships for toppers at district and State
levels
Students studying elsewhere will also stand to benefit
Interaction: Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests
Namo Narain Meena with students after distributing scholarships
instituted by SRM University in Chennai on Thursday. SRM Chancellor
T.R. Pachamuthu and Vice-Chancellor P. Sathyanarayanan are
in the picture
CHENNAI: SRM University has joined the growing
list of technical education institutions offering scholarships
to district and state toppers at the higher secondary level.
The offer has an additional generous twist: it will pay the
tuition fees even if they do not choose to study at SRM.
Making the announcement at a scholarships award function on
Thursday, SRM chancellor T.R. Pachamuthu said the scholarship
would be available from the coming academic year to the top
two students in the state’s Higher Secondary board examination
in each district in Tamil Nadu, as well as the top student in
the CBSE board examination in each Indian state.
If these students choose to join any of the SRM group institutions,
which offer education in engineering, medicine, management,
arts, sciences, hotel management and journalism, they will be
given a scholarship covering their tuition, hostel, mess and
transport fees and a monthly stipend of Rs. 1,000. If they choose
to study in any government college, run by the State or Central
governments, they will still receive a scholarship covering
their tuition fees for the duration of their course.
“So if an eligible student gets into IIT, he need not
worry. We will still offer the scholarship… of course,
he cannot get another scholarship from the institution he enters
as well. There will be no dual benefit,” explained SRM
vice-chancellor P. Sathyanarayanan, speaking to reporters after
the function.
Higher budget
This new initiative will take SRM’s annual scholarship
budget to Rs. 8 crore from the current Rs.5.5 crore. Last year,
1,050 students, who constitute six per cent of the student population
of SRM, were given a variety of scholarships, based on academic
performance, sports potential, financial need and physical disabilities.
Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narain
Meena, who presented the scholarship awards at the function,
welcomed SRM’s initiative. He said such measures would
complement the efforts of the Central government to enhance
access to higher education. “However, increased enrolment
should also come with inclusiveness, quality and relevance in
education,” he said.
Courtesy: The Hindu
|
