ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has recently approved a proposal to initiate National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) for promotion of science and engineering disciplines among brilliant students.

The contest would be held under the auspices of National Science Talent Contest for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Careers Project, said an official statement on Saturday.

The major objective of the project is to encourage the youth to opt for careers in science and engineering and to prepare a team of talented students to represent Pakistan in the annual international Olympiads, in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. As many as Rs30 million have been allocated for organizing national talent contests in the above-mentioned disciplines.

It is to note that NSTC is an extension of the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC) that was launched by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in 1995 under the directive of the then president of Pakistan.

The key objective of the programme was to give recognition at the highest level to talented students who excel in the national competitions and represent the country in the Olympiads in their respective areas of interest and to groom them for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The commission is also making efforts to involve university, school and college science teachers in this activity through Science Teacher Forum (STF). A modest beginning in this regard has already been made in Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi.

It has also been planned to have chapters of Science Teachers Forum in all major university towns of the country in near future.

For the purpose, STEM of HEC has planned training camps in its four home institutions which are centres of excellence in their respective fields. These are PIEAS, Nilore, Islamabad, NIBGE, Faisalabad, HEJ, Research Institute, Karachi University and SMS, G.C.U.