Rs 55 million scholarship programme launched for school students

[email protected] (CD Network)
July 15, 2014

Mangalore, Jul 15: Lore India Foundation Scholarship Trust has announced the launch of a pioneering scholarship program that will identify, assess, reward and mentor the brightest young minds in India. The programme is open to school students from classes X, XI and XII from across India and is the nation's largest scholarship program and national benchmarking initiative.

  • All students of Classes X, XI & XII are eligible, pan India.
  • The Learning Aptitude Test (LAT) to identify the most meritorious students.
  • Career guidance and mentoring by Governance Council.
  • Test to be conducted in English and Hindi

scholarship
More than 100 of the most brilliant students will be identified through a scientifically evolved Learning Aptitude Test (LAT), designed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with the help of acclaimed education scientists. Qualifying students will receive cash scholarships from a generous corpus of Rs. 55 million and also benefit from valuable mentoring and coaching provided by renowned academicians. Once selected, the Scholars will undergo a comprehensive interest schedule/psychometric analysis to gain insights that will allow experts to provide them effective guidance in their educational careers.

LAT is devised to test a child's aptitude or innate brain power as opposed to their academic learning. The National Scholarship Program is guided by TCS and a stellar body of academic stalwarts that constitute Lore India Foundation's Governing Council, including both current and retired professors from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indian School of Business (ISB), Medical Council of India and University Grants Commission (UGC), among others.

The Lore India Foundation Scholarship Trust believes that every student must have an opportunity to pursue her/his dream career and enrol in academic courses of her/his choice. The Undergraduate Scholarship endowments can be used by Scholars to pursue higher education in any discipline. It can be also used to prepare for coaching required for entrance exams to get admission to a program of the Scholar's choice. The scholarship amount is set up as an interest generating trust fund available to the Scholar to draw upon for a period of seven years from the date of the award.

Administered in English and Hindi, the LAT will assess the candidate's aptitude and not the extent of knowledge in subjects. The emphasis will be on analytical and logical reasoning, reading comprehension and puzzles.

The key differentiator between this and other scholarships is that, here, the quality of education a student has received so far does not become an overriding factor in identifying the brightest candidate. LAT, in fact, is designed to provide a level playing field for students to compete irrespective of their socio-economic status, geography or educational background. The focus in on the child's merit and merit alone.

In order to avail of this opportunity, students will have to apply online on http://lorefoundation.org. Registrations open on July 14, 2014. The registered students will then have to appear for LAT.

Explaining the need for the LAT and the scholarship program at the launching programme held hin New Delhi on Monday, Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain, Professor, IIT-Delhi said, “In the context of the current education system, we believe that the scholarships will bring in immense parity amongst students from across different states and Boards. Currently, there is a very clear disconnect between the marks scored in the State Boards that account for 95 percent of students vs. the Central Boards that account for the balance 5 percent only.”

“The State Boards are much more stringent about marking than the Central Boards, leading to a completely skewed evaluation system that, by no means, reflects the academic aptitude or merit of the child. This leaves a vast majority of the student population of our country relatively disadvantaged. LAT is a brave, new and different way of evaluating the academic competence of children today that will help circumvent this gap,” he added.

About Learning Aptitude Test

The LAT as a testing platform has been devised after extensive research by TCS with the help of acclaimed education scientists.

LAT – 2014

RANK SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT

1st Rs. 50,00,000

2nd Rs. 30,00,000

3rd Rs. 20,00,000

4th- 53rd Rs. 5,00,000 each

54th-103rd Rs. 3,00,000 each

The Governing Council of the Lore India Foundation has played an instrumental role in designing and delivering LAT. This stellar body comprises academic stalwarts, such as: Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain (Padma Shri), Professor, IIT- Delhi; Dr. Hari Gautam, Former Chairman, UGC; President, MGUMST, Jaipur; Dr. S. B. Siwach, Chairman, Post Graduate Committee, Medical Council of India; Prof. Ranbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Prem Vrat, Former Director, IIT-Roorkee; Pro-Chancellor, ITM University; Prof. Biju Paul Abraham Professor, IIM Calcutta; VP, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute; Mr. Deepak Chandra, Deputy Dean, ISB, Hyderabad; Prof. (Dr.) V. Vijayakumar, Professor & UNHCR Chair on Refugee Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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News Network
December 7,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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