Vidyatheeram Making Waves

• Staff Reporter

Jayakrishnan S., a second-year MD Paediatrics student at Kozhikode Government Medical College is proud to say his admission in Alappuzha Medical College as a medical student in 2016 has changed his life, thanks to Vidyatheeram scholarship he received from the Fishermen Welfare Board. The scholarship is exclusively meant for preparing the children of fishermen in the entrance exam by enrolling them in leading coaching institutes. The Department of Fisheries has implemented various welfare schemes to inculcate the culture of education within fishing community including the establishment of coastal schools and inclusion of fisheries studies in curricula. Yet, Vidyatheeram distinguishes itself by its objectives of grooming professionals, particularly doctors. “My family was unable to support me financially. The scholarship helped me to fulfil my ambition to become a doctor.

I was sent to the same leading coaching institute where all other brilliant students got admission in,” says Jayakrishnan S. As he says, this initiative has already borne fruit with several beneficiaries successfully securing admission into various professional courses, thereby setting a precedent for future aspirants from the community. “My younger brother also is a beneficiary of this scheme. Both of us are now doctors. My brother is doing firstyear MS Orthopaedics, and I am in my second year of Paediatrics,” he adds.

How to Enroll

Each year, Vidyatheeram selects students from fishing community based on the results they scored in 12thgrade examinations and enrols them in Kerala’s premier medical coaching centres, where they undergo intensive one-year residential training programme to compete in highly competitive medical entrance tests. Currently sanctioned to accommodate 130 students annually, the program extends substantial financial assistance up to ₹1.25 lakh for medical aspirants and ₹70,000 for those pursuing entrance into elite engineering institutes like NITs and IITs. As the Government Order issued to implement the project envisage: “By fostering such educational advancement, Vidyatheeram not only enhances the employability of fisher folk youth but also stimulates a broader cultural shift within these communities, gradually dismantling barriers of poverty and social exclusion”.

The project has produced 97 doctors and 167 other professionals and gave coaching to 641 students in nine years. Dr.Anagha Ranjith K.V recollects her journey: “I was able to attend NEET coaching at Pala Brilliant College. I scored high in the exam, gained admission to HNA Medical College, and have completed my MBBS. I am deeply grateful to the Fisheries Department, the Kerala government for the Vidyatheeram scholarship. The project should be continued as it is a catalyst for youth from the fishing community to come up and stand hand by hand with other students.” The project has the target to coach 130 eligible students in prestigious medical entrance coaching institutes by spending 1.30 crores this year. The scheme also plans to provide coaching to 15 students for Civil Service Exam by spending Rs.80,000/head and 15 students to prepare for Residential NIT/IIT Coaching by spending Rs.60,000/head. 

 Kerala’s Vidyatheeram embodies a paradigm of progressive governance that harmonizes socio-economic development with educational empowerment. It is an exemplar of how targeted, wellconceived interventions can rewrite the narratives of historically marginalised groups, enabling them to reclaim their rightful place in the mainstream. As this initiative continues to expand, it promises to serve as a beacon of hope for many marginalised communities in India.