ISLAMABAD Dec 27 (TNS): Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal says National Endowment Scholarships for Talent (NEST) would be gradually increased from the existing 5.2 to 25 billion rupees to support merit-based studies.
Addressing scholarship award ceremony in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said the programme has been launched on the pattern of Punjab Education Endowment Fund under which one hundred and fifty thousand students are getting scholarship.
The Minister said a major programme launched by the present Government is US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor, which would produce ten thousand Ph.Ds. He said the programme has been initiated to afford opportunity to students to pursue higher and research based education in quality institutions of the United States.
The Minister said one million laptops have been distributed under Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme purely on merit.
Ahsan Iqbal said a National Science Talent Farming Scheme is also being implemented under which 300 children are afforded scholarship to pursue education in quality institutions upto Ph.D.
He said campuses of universities are also being set up in every districts. This would ensure access to higher education by students of backward and far flung areas.
Ahsan Iqbal said Vision-2025 lays special emphasis on education as knowledge is foundation for sustained progress and development.
He said scholarships sunder National Endowment Scholarship for Talent have been awarded through a transparent and merit-based process.
