Rural Math Talent Search(RMTS) or "Gramya GaNita Medha AnyesaN"

A brief History of need of RMTS:

Since 1993 nearly 10 thousand plus students from all 30 districts of Orissa have taken part in these tests. They are not ordinary tests. They seek to unearth kids with logical minds, good for Mathematics. Mathematics is the language of science and technology like Oriya or English are the language for history, literature and other expression of human emotion/ communication. One has a history and other has a future. Rather, science is the future.

Two profound observations were made:

1. While Orissa is primarily rural(80%) there was unbelievable absence of students from rural Orissa in National Math Olympiad's Orissa state tests.

2. In 21st century of science and technology bringing more and more benefits, spotting and training of math talents is not longer a luxury but a necessity today – if any rosy future for the state is envisioned.



Prof Swadheenananda Pattanayak, director of Institute of Mathematics and others like Prof. Gokulananda Das (ex –VC of UU) and Prof. P.C. Das(Ex-Prof of Kanpur, IIT), noted these malaise and realized that something has to be done.

Simultaneously Dept of Atomic Energy (DOE) of Govt of India was looking for ways to increase in the available pool of students, so that there are some left for basic Science. Every good student in recent years is getting sucked into Engineering / Medical, with none left for pure sciences, the basic infrastructure of the society. DOE was willing to finance a talent search test and training of unearthed talent from the rural areas of Orissa..

To this combined effort was added an NRI's wish to perpetuate his father's memory.



Current scholar's benefits:

Thus RMTS was born in 2003. The Current benefits for a RMTS scholar, are:

Selected students get a scholarship of Rs.1500/ year for 5 years.
They are invited to six – week long residential camps in the next 4 years, All expenses including food, shelter and travel expenses of the scholars and their accompanying teachers are fully paid, as per actuals. The best mathematicians of Orissa teach them. ( see www.rmtsorissa.org/ for full information).
RMTS scholars are exposed to modern mathematics and their accompanying teachers are exposed to modern teaching methods in the same camps.
Selection is on merit, with proper consideration of affirmative actions, to counter the disadvantages of region, race and gender.
In 2005, 55 scholarships were awarded to each of Western Orissa, Coastal Orissa and Southern Orissa. The numbers in 2004 was 102 and 45 in 2003, equitably distributed by region..
Once selected they are constantly mentored and monitored to help their full potential to bloom.


Where are we today:

The upcoming RMTS 2006 will be the 4th RMTS..
In 2005 we reached all 30 districts for the 1st time. 2006 goal is to reach all the 314 blocks..
5 students from RMTS got selected for the 1st time in the Orissa state math Olympiad's team camp and performing near the top of the crop.
Like Ramanujan who was not at the top of his class, many of RMTS scholars were not in the top of their class, but are now flourishing, once their niche talent has been found..
We have realized that we have hit upon a winning formula but our target rural talents are still not within reach. There are nearly 800 thousand students in class VI and we have reached only 5 thou.


How can you help:

Help organize centers in all the blocks of Orissa.
Help spread the word so more kids participate in the test, because we can only know who have the logical mind if only they participate. Normally these students are not in the top of their class because our system is geared to rote learning.
Spread the word: Last date of application is Aug 10 / Test date is Sept 10.
Call your friends/relatives in rural Orissa particularly if they are teachers and request them to contact Institute of Mathematics for info booklet and forms.
IMA phone: (0674) 2542164, 2540604