(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Kerala, which recently shifted focus on promoting student entrepreneurship, has come up with another scheme to promote inventions among schoolchildren.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the new scheme, the Science Research and Invention in Schools for Technological Innovation (SRISTI) while distributing science literature awards of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) here on Tuesday.
One school from each district will be selected to foster scientific temper among Plus Two students by providing financial and technical assistance to support their innovations under the scheme.
The students will be under the guidance of a co-ordinator.
Two years back, Channdy inaugurated Startup Village, India's first telecom business incubator in the port city of Kochi, which is now being replicated in other states.
It has since received more than 3,175 registrations for incubation, out of which 679, including 249 student startups, have launched their projects, most of them developing technology products and telecom apps.
It has also sent five student entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley to interact with heads of successful startups.
Encouraged by the response, Chandy recently released a draft of his innovation and start-up policy which aims at reversing brain drain and turning "job seekers into job creators."
The chief minister also convened a meeting of vice-chancellors to support young campus entrepreneurs across a number of industry verticals, apart from telecom and information technology.
Incubation support is offered in eight sectors like agriculture, electronics, food processing and tourism.
"Science should play an important role in tackling problems faced by the public including food safety, shelter, energy, water and waste management in the state," Chandy said.
He also briefly introduced various fellowship schemes including the P T Bhaskara Panicker Emeritus scheme to accelerate programmes to encourage science communicators and for promoting science writing in Malayalam.
"Science grows only when its benefits reach out to the common people," he said. "The general awareness and interest about scientific developments, research and innovations is still very low in India. If science is to be part of our day-to-day life, it has to be promoted well."
Dr C P Aravindakshan, known for his efforts to popularise science, particularly among young students, received the award for the best book on science (children's literature) for Madhuram Athimadhuram Rasathanthram.
K V Mathew and Dr A Achuthan won the awards for their works Manushyan Oru Supercomputer and Paristhithi Padanathinu Oru Aaamukham in the best book (popular science) category.
Sasidharan Mangathil received the science journalism award for his articles on disaster management published in the Mathrubhumi daily in 2013.
The awards for the best science book (in-depth science) were presented to Dr Aranmula Hariharaputhran (Jeevasaasthrathinte Kadha) and Dr V P N Namboothiri (Prapancha Srishtiyude Padippurayil-Daivakanathinte Samkshiptha Charithram).
The awards consisted of a citation, certificate and a cash prize of Rs50,000.
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