13 May, 2012 

Himachal Pradesh Government has taken a lead in the country by taking up various ambitious schemes so as to ensure qualitative and quantitative education besides ensuring that the students of poor families did not face any problem in imparting education to their wards.

Atal School Uniform Scheme launched on May 9 last by the Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal from Nahan is one such ambitious scheme which aimed at providing free uniform to all students in Government schools form 1st class to 10th class. Besides each student will be given stitching charges of Rs. 100 every time so that they did not find any problem in its stitching. Besides helping all students to have uniform free, it is also farsighted thinking as this will instill confidence amongst the students of poor families who otherwise could not afford to have uniform for their wards as a result of which they had to discontinue their studies.

As many as 9,27,205 students, 4,63,680 boys and 4,63,525 girl students would be benefitted from the scheme this year. The uniform had been designed by Textile Department of Government Engineering college, Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh and entails an annual expenditure of Rs. 64 crore on State exchequer this year.

The present State Government's commitment to ensure that every pupil gets education can be gauged from the fact that the State Government is implementing various scholarship schemes like Dr. Ambedkar Meritorious Scholarship Scheme under which 4000 meritorious students are getting annual scholarship of Rs. 10,000 each in plus one and plus two class Dr. Thakur Sen Negi Meritorious Scholarship Scheme under which  400 meritorious students of Scheduled Tribes  are getting scholarship of Rs. 11,000 each. All girls students are being imparted free education upto University level.

The State Government is providing free textbooks to the students  belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes categories and those living Below Poverty Line.

These efforts of the State Government has borne fruits and drop out rate in Elementary level is negligible and State has achieved almost cent percent enrolment of children in age group of 6-11 years.

Himachal Pradesh is also spending highest percentage of budget on education. 19 percent of the total budget of the State is being spent on this vital sector. Himachal Pradesh's efforts in the field of education have also been appreciated at national level and had been conferred the 'Best State' for its outstanding performance in the field of education.

In last four years a number of top educational institutions like Central University, Technical University, IIT, NIFT, eleven universities in the private sector had been set up. This had gone a long way in helping the youth of the State to get education.

To ensure quality education in the educational institutions being opened in the State,  the State has set up Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission. Himachal Pradesh is the first State in the country to do so. This speaks volume about the sensitivity of the State Government for ensuring qualitative education to the students within the State. The State has also enacted the Anti Ragging Act besides setting up Anti Ragging Committees in the educational institutions so as to maintain discipline as well as tension free environment in the educational institutions of the State.

To ensure that the studies of the students do not suffer due to shortage of teachers in educational institutions, more than 25,000 posts of various categories of teachers including lecturers and others at higher level have been filled in which is a record in itself.  From this year the Government has decided to give 4,000 laptops to such students in Plus one class who will excel in 10th class.

Besides qualitative and quantitative education, the State Government is also giving emphasis on technical education so that youth of the State get employment within the State and also outside the State.  The trades in ITIs have been strengthened by introducing latest and employment oriented courses. One ITI has been ensured in every assembly constituency of the State besides setting up of Technical University and Engineering Colleges of standard like Atal Behari Vajpayee Institute of Engineering and Technology had been set up at Pragatinagar in Shimla district and Hydro Engineering College was being set up in Bilaspur besides Indian Institute of Information Technology had also been got sanctioned for Una. A number of polytechnics have also been opened  during last four years.

Keeping in view steps being taken by the State Government, the day is not far when Himachal Pradesh will emerge as educational hub of the country.