Several meritorious science students could miss out on lucrative annual scholarship of Rs 80,000 because of alleged lackadaisical attitude of colleges under Jai Prakash University.

The varsity sent a notice to the colleges for completing the formalities for the reward a month ago. Except Bhola Prasad Singh College in Gopalganj, all other institutions are yet to submit the required report that would earn an eligible meritorious student Rs 80,000 rewarded by the Union ministry of science and technology.

There are 21 constituent, eight affiliated and two deficit-grant colleges under the university.

College development committee co-ordinator Ashok Kumar Jha told The Telegraph that the university would send reminders to the colleges yet to send the proposals. He added that to encourage research among science students, the Union ministry of science and technology has decided to offer Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) scholarship of Rs 80,000.

According to the ministry’s guidelines, students figuring among the top one per cent in Class XII at their respective board examinations and are pursuing courses in natural and basic sciences at the BSc or integrated MSc levels are eligible for the scholarship. So are those securing top 10,000 ranks either in IIT-JEE, AIEEE or AIPMT and opt to study natural and basic sciences in any academic institute or university leading to graduate and postgraduate degree.

Students part of the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana or cracking the National Talent Search Examination, Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search scholars and Science Olympiad medallists, opting to undertake courses in the natural and basic sciences leading to BSc and MSc degrees are also eligible for the scholarship.

Courses other than natural and basic sciences are not included in the current scheme in view of the focus on research in basic sciences.

Jha said to benefit students under this programme, letters to principals of colleges were sent and report was sought within a week.

He said 40-page details of INSPIRE scholarship programme was sent to the principals with a request to ensure prospective research scholars did not miss the opportunity. Students have welcomed the decision to offer scholarship to students but at the same time are critical of the colleges’ attitude. University research scholar Hari Mohan Pintu said this would orient students towards advanced studies with core research. Colleges must be sensitive enough to pass this facility on to the eligible students, said another research scholar, Vishvajit Singh Chandel.