PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 21 -- The Uttar Pradesh government is considering launching a new scholarship scheme on the lines of the now-suspended National Talent Search Examination (NTSE), which will give a boost to meritorious students of the state. Under the proposed initiative, a state-level competitive examination will be conducted to identify talented students. Those selected from Classes 10 to 12 will receive an annual scholarship of Rs.12,000 to support their education, officials in the state secondary education department said. According to officials, the Bureau of Psychology, Uttar Pradesh-an arm of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)-has submitted a detailed proposal for the scholarship examination to SCERT. The proposed scheme aims to promote academic excellence and provide financial assistance to deserving students at the secondary and senior secondary levels. The NTSE, which was launched in 1963 as the National Science Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS) to identify and nurture bright students, was effectively suspended in 2021. Confirming the development, PN Singh, director of the Prayagraj-based Bureau of Psychology, UP, said that the proposal has already been sent to the authorities. "Once implemented, the scheme will particularly benefit meritorious students from underprivileged sections and help them move ahead academically," he said. The Bureau of Psychology, UP, currently functions as the nodal agency for the National Income and Merit-Based Scholarship Examination (NIMBSE). Under this scheme, 15,143 Class 8 students studying in government-run, government-aided, and local body schools receive a scholarship of Rs.1,000 per month, or Rs.12,000 annually, from Class 9 to Class 12. The NTSE has not been conducted since March 31, 2021. While the Union ministry of education is reviewing the scheme with a view to relaunching it in a revamped form-possibly with a higher scholarship amount and changes in its structure-no timeline has been announced so far. Under the NTSE, selected students were eligible for a stipend from Class 11 up to the PhD level....