Thiruvananthapuram: HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils in Education) is organising their annual study camp between August 13 and 15 at Renewal Centre, Kochi. College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram’s former students based in UAE are behind the noble venture of CETA Galaxy Charitable Trust. This year they are expecting between 75 – 100 students with 25 of them belonging to Agali in Palakkad district.
It was in 2011 that HOPE was launched by former additional chief secretary D. Babu Paul in Abu Dhabi. Scholarships are given to economically backward students studying in the 8th grade upwards. They should have scored more than 80 percent marks in the last examinations. So far several hundred poor students belonging to all the 14 districts have got the HOPE scholarships in the last five years. Pupils from Wayanad and Idukki as well as tribal students from Attapadi hamlets also have got scholarships in the previous years.
“For students between 8th – 10th grade, they will give Rs 5000 per year. For higher secondary students, Rs 10, 000 per year will be given. We are currently collecting application forms from prospective students and are hoping to give HOPE scholarships for 75 – 100 students this year”, said V. S. Thrideep, joint secretary, CETA Galaxy Charitable Trust.
Apart from giving scholarships, the pupils are also being informed of future higher studies options. This actually stands out compared to the other scholarship opportunities. There will also be a mentor for each student so that they grow up into a good human being who will be responsible to the community.
The scholarship winners and their parents will be attending the three-day camp in Kochi where experts from different sectors will take classes for them in Science, art, literature, personality development. HOPE is the brainchild of P. K. Ashokan (1967 batch of CET) who is the Chairman of the trust.
