Highlighting the lack of opportunities for the students in rural areas, especially in backward regions like Kalyana Karnataka, Umesh Jadhav, MP, called upon the educational institutions to encourage the deprived minds by creating opportunities.

He was addressing a public meeting after inaugurating National Science Day at the Regional Centre of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) here on Sunday. The event was organised by VTU in association with the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, the Indian Society for Technological Education, and the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers.

“Scientific inventions can emerge from anywhere. A remote village can produce a great scientist. We have very talented young minds in the vast rural areas. They are unable to come out and flourish as they lack opportunities. The educational institutions and those in power need to put efforts to encourage those deprived people by creating better opportunities,” he said.

N.V. Prasad, Regional Commissioner (Kalaburagi Division), expressed concerns over the falling quality of research in the study of basic science as a result of brilliant students increasingly preferring job-oriented and lucrative job-yielding courses instead of basic science. He stressed the need of making basic science an interesting subject of career-building to attract more students.

Admitting the lack of opportunities to the students in rural areas, especially in areas like Kalyana Karnataka, Bhimashankar Bilgundi, president of the Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society, appealed to Dr. Jadhav and Mr. Prasad for help to address the issue.

Baswaraj Gadgay, Regional Director of VTU, briefed how his institution was making serious efforts to create opportunities for the deprived classes and appealed to Dr. Jadhav to extend all possible support.

Successful students in the essay competition that was organised were honoured with awards on the occasion.