Keralam will establish 300 centres across the state to promote scientific temper among 15 lakh young people and launch a mobile application allowing students to anonymously report ragging and other campus-related grievances, the state government has announced.The two initiatives, aimed at strengthening scientific awareness and improving student welfare in higher education institutions, will be launched by Chief Minister V D Satheesan at Government Women’s College on November 4.Higher Education Minister Roji M John announced the initiatives, highlighting the government’s efforts to encourage scientific thinking among students and provide them with a confidential mechanism to report campus-related concerns.
300 centres to promote scientific temper among young people
The scientific awareness programme, spearheaded by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, aims to reach 15 lakh young people through 300 centres across the state.According to the minister, the initiative will focus on promoting scientific temper, humanism, and inquiry-based thinking among students and the wider public. It seeks to encourage a scientific outlook and develop the ability to question, analyze, and examine information.The programme will also include online courses, handbooks, and video reels to make scientific concepts accessible to a wider audience.
Siddharth Student Welfare App to enable anonymous complaints
Alongside the science awareness programme, the government will introduce the Siddharth Student Welfare App to provide students with a confidential platform to report ragging and other problems on campuses.The application will allow students to register complaints without disclosing their identities. It will also facilitate the submission of audio complaints anonymously and alert the authorities concerned about safety-related issues.The initiative is intended to help students seek assistance without the fear of being identified or facing possible repercussions for reporting incidents.The app has been named after J S Sidharthan, a 20-year-old veterinary student from Nedumangad who allegedly died by suicide in February 2024 after being subjected to ragging by fellow students at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, in Wayanad.
