Calicut University launches ‘Prodigy Promotion Programme’ With Age No Bar

The Calicut University has decided to approve brilliantly performing students to take admission in its degree and PG courses even if they fall below the minimum age and qualification requirements. This means minimum of 10+2 pass or 18 years above as an eligibility criteria will not be compulsory for prodigies for taking admission to its new 'prodigy promotion programme', said vice-chancellor M Abdul Salam.

This decision was made after the university received an application from a young poet and writer, Aiswarya T Anish, who showed interest in participating in varsity’s distance education BA English course. Standard 11 student Aiswarya hails from Alappuzha. Seeing his request the university had formed a committee headed by dean of languages M M Basheer to consider the case, which was later approved by the varsity's academic council on Thursday after considering recommendations made by the committee.

Salam told that high academic grades alone will not be considered to judge an exceptional child, to measure the talent of students; they will have to prove it in some way by having the potential to develop appreciably beyond what is predictable for their age.

To take admission under the scheme the bright students will have to qualify a special entrance examination and an interview by a high-level committee headed by the concerned dean of faculty and chairman of board of studies. Besides, the students are also needed to clear the minimum qualification exam with good grades before the end of the programme.