CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), functioning under the Higher Education Department, will be providing more than 60 training programmes to disseminate Science and Technology innovations to rural youths across the State.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department said that the Science for Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED) division of the Department of Science and Technology has funded a project entitled "Establishment of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) Cell" in TNSCST to disseminate science and technology innovations through relevant training programmes to uplift the economic status of rural youth.

"During 2024-25, a total of 54 training programmes on various topics were facilitated to impart livelihood training in 19 institutions, benefitting 1,423 candidates from 11 districts," he added.

He further said that in 2025-26, the TNSCST has proposed to conduct more programmes (more than 60) to benefit over 1,500 students from areas which were not already covered.

Claiming that the SC-ST Cell has been a channel for the marginalised section of society to enhance their livelihood options, he said the training programmes will also bridge the rural-urban divide through harnessing the potential benefit of indigenous and advanced technologies and life skills for a cross-section of society.

"It will also create sustainable livelihood opportunities through local resource management, skill development and Science and Technology-led entrepreneurship amongst the disadvantaged sections of the society," he claimed.