ABOUT 449 first class graduates from various universities across the federation on Monday, sat for an aptitude test meant for selection of candidates for the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for innovation and development.

Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, who supervised the conduct of the test at the Chams Plc, an ICT firm, in Abuja, said 449 candidates were shortlisted, having met the selection criteria.

He disclosed that a total of 100 best candidates, who would emerge from the test will be awarded the 2012 version of the special scholarship scheme.

Professor Okojie, who emphasised that the selection criteria was purely based on merit, also debunked claims from some quarters that the criteria used for selection was a deliberate policy to marginalise some of candidates from certain parts of the country.

He clarified that the scholarship was for only students, who applied and those qualified were shortlisted for the test, stressing that, the Commission went as far as outsourcing an ICT firm to conduct the test, in order to free the exercise from any form of abuse.

He said: “That is why the membership of the committee of the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme comprises a professor each, who made first-class from the six geopolitical zones, so, there was nothing like marginalisation.”

He said the scheme was part of efforts to create manpower towards actualisation of Vision 20:2020 and the government’s transformation agenda

He said, “the Federal Government has plans to develop a critical mass of professionals, who will serve as catalysts of change and agents of scientific and technological advancement.

“This sustainable economic development will be achieved through the sponsorship of outstanding students for postgraduate studies in the top 25 universities in the world,” he said.

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