New Delhi, 22 March 2022: On 21 March (Monday), the Minister of Higher Education of Kerala, R. Bindu, announced that Chief Minister – Pinarayi Vijayan – is going to carry out the dispersal of higher education scholarships for underprivileged students. The distribution of the scholarships will be done as a part of the Student Talent Award function scheme. The function will be conducted at the Senate Hall of Kerala University in Thiruvananthapuram on March 23. Vice-chancellors of numerous universities along with Finance Minister – N. Balagopal – will be present during the ceremony.
This is an unprecedented initiative whereby the scholarships will be provided to about 1,000 students whose annual family income is less than Rs. 2.5 lakh. The scholarship will be awarded to meritorious students who have scored the highest in various subjects of any university located in the state of Kerala.
Kerala Government Plans on Higher Education – Details
Dr Bindu further added that allocations are being made to Kerala’s higher education division under the recent state budget. She commended the government’s plan to allot Rs. 200 crore to higher education institutions to set up translational research institutes. She also welcomed the government’s announcement of a pilot project to establish start-ups and industrial units nearby universities. The total amount will be distributed equally among ten universities of the state by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
The budget aims at creating new employment opportunities for about 20 lakh people in the knowledge economy sector. She even added that a few of the upcoming district skill parks by the government will be under the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) of the Department of Higher Education, Kerala.
Note: As per media sources, skill development projects in the state may receive a monetary boost of about Rs. 350 crore for establishing skill parks in major districts. The initiative will be launched under the knowledge economy mission by the KIIFB.
