BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said the Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent (SCOUT) programme, aimed at nurturing talent among pre-university students, should be extended beyond its current three-year duration.
Launching SCOUT-2.0, Shivakumar said the initiative has the potential to shape future leaders. Expressing happiness about interacting with talented students from across Karnataka, he said Bengaluru alone does not represent the entire state and highlighted the need for extending it to students from rural regions ranging from Chamarajanagar to Bidar. “These students are the ambassadors of Karnataka. A true leader is one who creates more leaders, and all of you are on the right path,” he said, urging students to make the most of the opportunity to transform their futures.
Describing Karnataka and Bengaluru as hubs of talent, Shivakumar said the world is looking at India through Karnataka. He advised students from rural backgrounds not to lose confidence, noting that access to information has made global competition easier for today’s youth.
The CM said the state government and universities were willing to expand the programme to ensure that more deserving students benefit from it. He also urged vice-chancellors to identify and encourage talented students based on their abilities.
While encouraging students to pursue higher studies abroad, Shivakumar appealed to them to return to India later and contribute to the country’s development.
“This is not merely a programme to earn a degree. It is an initiative to nurture young leaders,” he said, adding that students should dream big, stay disciplined and never forget their roots.
Advising students to become job creators rather than job seekers, Shivakumar said entrepreneurship should be their ultimate goal.