The 2006 PSC scholars

Taken from Sammyboyforums. Interesting bits in bold.

July 23, 2006
PSC casts wider net to attract more talent
Mid-term scholarships for those already in university, local medical scholarships, plus internship scheme for a taste of life in civil service

By Jeremy Au Yong

THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has expanded its scholarship programme to enable the civil service to cast a wider net when recruiting talent.

Undergraduates can now apply for scholarships midway through their studies and local scholarship recipients can take up medicine, a choice previously available only to President's Scholars.

Is it more like: you fail the first time round in the interviews (after your As/poly), now you get a second chance to become a bonded servant of the system.

The changes were announced yesterday by Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, the minister-in-charge of the civil service, at the annual PSC scholarship ceremony.

In his address to scholarship recipients at the Istana, Mr Teo explained the rationale behind each development.

The mid-term scholarships, he said, have been introduced to provide an avenue for students who 'for some reason or other' did not want to apply for a PSC scholarship.

The scholarships for local medical students was created to 'recognise outstanding students whose hearts are set on becoming doctors'.

I don't really see how Med School fits with the Civil Service. I thought Med students in NUS are already bonded to MOH. They should also mention that nobody signed up to be LSA(Med) scholars this year under SAF.

He also said the civil service will start an internship programme to give outstanding undergraduates a taste of life in the civil service. A total of 29 undergraduates from 15 top universities are currently going through the programme.

He hopes the experience will get them to consider signing up after graduation.

I really think these folks should work overseas first before thinking about signing on with the Civil Service. At the very least, think of the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars your folks had shelled out. With the pay scale in the Sg Civil Service, you probably won't be able to earn these back within a reasonable time frame.

He said: 'The civil service values its talent, regardless of whether he or she joins us as a scholar after A levels or mid-way through university, or as fresh or mid-career graduate.'

Mr Teo also encouraged overseas students to go beyond their social circle of Singaporeans and suggested that those in local universities should sign up for overseas exchange programmes. He stressed that good grades were not everything.

I guess he has heard of the Singaporean ghetto-towns?

'While achieving good academic results is important, you should strive to make your educational experience as meaningful and enriching as possible.'

Later, he handed out scholarships to 39 students.

Of the cohort, 19 will be heading for Britain, 14 to the United States and one - 19-year-old Png Zhiheng - to France. Five will study locally.

Among the scholarship recipients yesterday was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's son, Mr Li Hongyi, 19, who will be reading economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. PM Lee also attended the ceremony.

The third generation emerges...

The batch also included Mr Loh Wei-Liang, 19, one of the first three students to receive a Local Merit Scholarship to study medicine.

He said: 'I have been set on becoming a doctor since secondary school. With or without the scholarship I would've taken up medicine, so I feel really lucky to have got it.'

jeremyau@sph.com.sg

I beg to differ. More bonded years? :)