July 29, 2012

       Students humming the tune of 'School Chale Hum' while going to the schools will now be a regular sight in Himachal Pradesh.  Students belonging to the poor families in the state will no longer have to drop out of school for want of a proper school uniform. Thanks to the farsighted vision of the Government in the State.

The enedavours of the State Government in providing quality education to the students of the State nearer to their homes were reinforced when the first phase of Rs 64 crore Atal School Uniform Scheme, launched on 9th May, 2012 which aimed at providing two set of uniforms to each student in Government schools from class 1st to 10th had been successfully implemented by dispatch of 928365 set of uniforms to all schools in the State. Although the time limit fixed for this was 90 days but the government had achieved it within 75 days. This shows the commitment of the Government for successful implementation of the scheme in the right perspective.

All the 12 districts of the state have been covered cent percent under the scheme. A total of 928365 uniform sets have been dispatched to all 12 districts of the State out of which, 92010 sets have been dispatched to Sirmaur district, 11110 sets to Kinnaur district, 3905 sets to Lahaul- Spiti district, 69590 to Kullu district, 78330

to Solan district, 100870 to Chamba district, 49285 to Hamirpur district, 163705 to Kangra district, 67495 to Una district, 105375 to Shimla district, 48435 to Bilaspur district and 138255 to Mandi district. Supply of 2nd lot of Atal school uniforms will also start shortly.

Besides giving free uniform sets, the government is also giving Rs 100 ecah to students as stitching charges.

As many as 9,27,205 students who are at present enrolled in government schools, of which 4,63,680 are boys and 4,63,525 are girl students will be benefitted immensely by the scheme. The scheme will improve enrollment rate in schools, beside encouraging parents to send their children to schools, who were earlier reluctant as they could not afford uniforms. Atal School Uniform Yojna is aimed at bringing about uniformity amongst the students and instill a sense of confidence in them.

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 do not face any problem in imparting education to their wards.

With a view to inculcate spirit of competitiveness amongst elementary students, the State Government recently announced Elementary Meritorious Scholarship Scheme for elementary students of Government Schools in the State. District Institute of Education and Training will be designated agency to conduct scholarship eligibility test at District-level and training institutes for students passing fifth standard examination with B-Grade and above ranking. A separate seniority list of the students ranking at first and second positions would be prepared at Block-level.  Top ranking two girls and two boys at 6th, 7th and 8th standard will be selected in each education block and a total of 12 such scholarships will be given in each of the 124 education blocks in the State thereby selecting a total of 1,488 successful meritorious students. A qualified eligible will get an annual scholarship of Rs. 800 and for continuation of the scholarship in next higher class; they will be required to pass examination of respective class with a minimum of B-Grade. The State Government will spend Rs. 12 lakh per annum over this scheme.

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 whole process from dispatch to distribution of uniforms under the scheme is being ensured in a transparent manner. This approach of the State government to deliver services to the public directly has been unparalleled in the history of the State.