
Intervention
India being a developing country has a huge number of population which lives below the poverty line. Gathering the basic necessities is a struggle in itself for this population and education especially higher education becomes a distant dream for the children born in these households. Children from these types of background generally discontinue their education after 12th standard because of the lack of funds and support from parents. In an attempt to encourage more such hard working students and provide an opportunity to the students by felicitating their growth story Siemens Limited initiated the Siemens Scholarship in the year 2014 in the month of February.
Smile Foundation associated in this novel cause with Siemens in the year 2015 again in the month of February. The online application for this scholarship starts from the month of August-September (this year it will start in July- August). All the children selected for this scholarship come from a background of merit-cum need basis and have to have a score of at least 50% and minimum 60% in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Maths. The role of Smile Foundation is to get in touch with government engineering colleges at a Pan India level and co-ordinate with the eligible students and colleges. But applications are accepted from NITs located in North east region (for both girls and boys).
After conducting the due diligences a 50-50 ratio of deserving boys and girls are selected for the scholarships. More preference is given to the students of Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern states. But applications are accepted from NITs located in North east region (for both girls and boys). After conducting the due diligences a 50-50 ratio of deserving boys and girls are selected for the scholarships. More preference is given to the students of Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern states.
Project Highlights
So far three batches of students have been provided with the scholarship and 129 students in total; 20 students of the first batch, 59 students of the 2nd and 50 students of the 3rd have benefitted from this initiative.
Students from the streams of Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics/ Instrumental, Electronics and Telecommunications, Computers/ Information Technology are eligible for this scholarship.
Students who come from families whose annual incomes are not more than 2 lacs are eligible for this scholarship.
Internships are provided in the 3rd and 4th year during the summer vacations to the students to make them more careers focused.
Round the year counselling is provided to the students through telephonic conversations and email connects with the counsellors. Apart from academic developments the students are provided with personality development programmes, soft skill workshops etc to keep them at par with the ever growing developments.
Impact
21,346 CHILDREN DIRECTLY PROVIDED EDUCATION THROUGH 120 CENTERS IN 21 STATES
50% OF TOTAL BENEFICIARIES ENROLLED WHERE GIRL CHILDREN, TO ENSURE A FAIR START FOR ALL
100% CHILDREN RECEIVED REGULAR NUTRITION & HEALTH CARE SUPPORT
100% TEACHER RECEIVED TRAINING IN INNOVATIVE TEACHING SKILLS
Impact

These students have so far brilliantly passed every hurdle be it personal or educational. The support from Siemens and Smile Foundation has further encouraged these students to fare better and aspire for higher goals.