Srinagar, February 24 (Scoop News) –Underlining youth power as the most significant resource to deal with the challenges confronting mankind, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah emphasized the need for channelizing this force in the right direction to effectively address 21st century concerns like poverty, diseases, environmental degradation, energy crisis, disasters, climate change, etc.
“The educational relation of youth with science and technology is all the more important to address problems and find out solutions to these”, he said stressing on inculcating deep interest in youth in the scientific and technological spheres of modern learning.
Inaugurating 5-day camp on “Innovation of Science Pursuit for Inspire Research (INSPIRE)” organized by the Kashmir University in collaboration with Union Science and Technology Ministry here, Omar Abdullah said that despite tremendous advancement in the field of science and technology its optimal benefits have not transferred to the masses especially in this part of the world.
“We understand that the promotion of science and technology is possible only when the youth are attracted to this field. It is important for tackling and addressing various challenges and concerns”, he added and said that most of the services and benefits mankind presently enjoys are outcome of the scientific research carried out all over the world.
Omar Abdullah said that INSPIRE is an innovative programme for attraction of talent to science. He expressed hope that the basic objective of INSPIRE to communicate to youth the excitements of creative pursuit of science is realized through such camps and the required critical human resource pool is build for strengthening and expanding science and technology for research and development.
The Chief Minister said that the youth in Jammu and Kashmir are second to none in talent and their grooming in scientific temperament is need of the hour so that they are able to address the specific challenges, the State is confronted with in various fields.
Omar Abdullah asked the University management to create understanding with Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) at Srinagar and Jammu for providing opportunity to the concerned research scholars in carrying forward their R&D pursuits in IIIM institutions. He said during his recent visit to these institutions and interacting with the inmate scientists there, he has found greater opportunity of scientific research and knowledge for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. “You should develop liaison with this institution and help students to undertake research projects for which government would extend you all help”, he told management of University of Kashmir.
Minister of State for Higher Education, Manohar Lal and Vice Chancellor Kashmir University, Talat Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.
The programme targets students of various age groups ranging from 10 to 32 years. A striking feature of the programme is that it does not believe in conducting competitive exams for identification of talent at any level. Instead, it believes in and realize on the efficacy of the existing education structure for identification of talent.
The Department of Science and Technology is currently implementing the INSPIRE under three segments namely Scheme for Early Attraction for Talent (SEATS), Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC).
The 2nd INSPIRE camp is being conducted during 24th – 28th February, 2012 and the 3rd one is scheduled in September 2012.