Students in government schools in DK get special training for NTSE, NMMS exams

The DDPI in Dakshina Kannada has taken up a special drive to encourge students from government schools to write National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) and National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) Scheme exam.

As a result of the enouragement, a total of 8,591 students from government schools will write the exam on November 2. This includes 3,177 students to  appear for NTSE. This is for the first time that such a large number of students from government schools are appearing for the two exams. 

To encourage the trend of writing competitive exams among students, the department of education under the guidance of DDPI has initiated several programmes from the beginning of the academic year itself. 

In fact, teachers from government and aided schools have been imparting training to motivate the students to appear the exams.  Normally a few students write the exams on their own interest, said DDPI Walter D’Mellow. 

Preparation for the two examinations started in July with training and orientation programme for teachers from government schools. Teachers had to take extra classes to prepare the students. In September test was conducted for the children and 1,116 students were selected for special coaching. Writing the competitive exams will help in building confidence in children, he added. 

The department in the district had prepared model NTSE and NMMS question papers for the students to revise. Selected 1,116 students were imparted residential training in four Morarji Desai Residential Schools and a private school in Puttur from October 6 to 20. 

NMMS exams are held for the students of eights standard. Those students who have scored good marks in seventh standard are eligible to appear for it. The objective of the scheme is to award scholarship to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections to check their drop out at Class VIII  and to encourage them to continue their studies till Class XII.

The students for the award of this scholarship will be selected through the State level Test conducted by State Council of Educational Research and Training for the class VIII students. The scholarships will be given to one lakh students in the country. The scholarships will be given to 5,534 students in the state. Those who are studying in residential schools are not eligible to write the exam. 

The NTSE is for 10th standard students. The selected students will get scholarships for continuing education. In NTSE, general mental ability test  (GMAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) will be held. 

Mangalore North BEO Lokesh said that a total of 232 students from Mangalore North BEO limits were imparted training at Morarji Desai Residential School at Kammaje in Kinnigoli.

“All the kids used to wake up by 5 am and get ready for Karate and Yoga classes during the training. About 90 teachers had trained the students during the 14 days training period. Dakshina Kannada district Akshara Dasoha had made arrangement for the supply of rice, vegetables and LPG to cook food for the students during the training period.” 

In fact, as a part of the training, resource person Venkatramana Kamath taught clay modelling to the students. There will be students from private schools in the district who will write the two examinations, he said.

To increase the number of students from government schools to take up the competitive exam, the students were motivated.