October 16, 2020.
TED NewsDesk, Raipur: Education is the only medium through which people can achieve new heights in all aspects of life, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Thursday.
Even after residing in the remotest areas of India, amidst inhospitable conditions, will power helped 17 tribal students to succeed through ‘Choo lo Aasman’ (Touch the Sky) programme, he said. He was virtually interacting from Raipur with 17 students from Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar and Sukma districts who were selected for the National Institute of Technology (NIT), having cleared the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for engineering.
Baghel announced an increase to 40 seats in the programme, starting from the coming academic session. He added that financial assistance will also be provided to selected students based on their need and to pay whatever it costs for student Hemant Kumar Arya’s eye treatment.
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NMDC Ltd and Dantewada Collector Deepak Soni also participated in the virtual address. The Chief Minister said that success shows that there is no shortage of talent in the Bastar region. When presented with opportunities, students can surpass even the leading cities in India.
Of the 17 students, 11 are from Dantewada, two from Bijapur, three from Sukma and one from Bastar. Last year 21 students had cleared the examination.
The ‘Choo Lo Aasman’ scheme started in 2011 where students from Dantewada and nearby districts can reside in hostels from Class 9 and above. Along with their schooling, they receive coaching to appear in JEE and NEET examinations. A total of 80 students are admitted based on the admission test. Of the total seats, 76 per cent are for Scheduled Tribes, 4 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 14 per cent for Other Backward Community and 6 per cent for general category. NMDC bears the cost of total expenses of students under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. Every year around Rs 3 crore is spent on them. A total of 845 students have been selected for higher educational institutes.
The motivation and sage advice offered by CM Baghel reflects the zeal and belief that the state has in students belonging to the programme. Not only this, it provides hope for students hailing from regions which may not yet be covered under it. The initiative aims to help underserved students reach their potential.
Source: Daily Pioneer
