Imphal, August 31 2010: With none of the schools recommending any of their students for the Innovation Science Pursuit for Inspired Research Award, also known as Inspire Award, the scheme is finding no takers in Manipur.

Students reading between Class VI and Class X are eligible for the award.

According to a source in the School Education Department, the Inspire Award was taken up as a scheme under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.

The scheme taken up with the theme "Scheme For Early Attraction of Talent for Science" was launched at all India level in 2007-08 .

It was expected that the scheme could harness the talents of young students of Manipur and the Northeastern States having scientific aptitude for overall development of science and technology in the State.

However, no school has recommended any student for the award till date.

Though it is already late, the State Government has urged the Centre to extend the entry date which has been acceded to.

Subsequently, the Education (S) Director and the Nodal Officer/VMO, Directorate of Education (S) have directed the ZEOs to recommend school students for the award.

Students between the age of 10 and 15 may apply for the award.

There is no distinction as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or OBC.

All students within the specified age group may apply irrespective of whether their schools are Government, Private or Aided Schools.

Each school may recommend five students though only two students from each school would be selected for the award.

Any student selected for the award would get Rs 5000 out of which Rs 2500 should be used for project work or designing a model.

The remaining half may be used as travelling expenditures.

Under the same scheme, district level science exhibitions would be organised exclusively for students identified for the award.

From these district level exhibitions, some students would be selected for participation in a State level Science exhibition by a panel of jurists including officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Again, students selected from the State level Science Exhibition would participate in the National Level Science Exhibition.

The students selected for participation in the National Level Science Exhibition will get several sponsorships to pursue their scientific research and study, conveyed the source.

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