CM announces Rs.1 lakh cash award for Class 12 & Class 10 toppers

Quality education not to be compromised: Chamling
Ameet Oberoi
GANGTOK, 27 July: The State Government will be rewarding the top students of Class 12 and Class 10 with cash prizes amounting to Rs. 1 lakh, said the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling while addressing the congregation of students and school teachers gathered at Tenzing Namgyal Memorial Ground [Guards Ground, Tathangchen], here today. The Chief Minister said that the toppers of Class 12 and Class 10 students will be given Rs.1 lakh, followed by a reward of Rs. 75000 and Rs.50,000 to the second and third state toppers, respectively.
He was speaking during the Orientation Programme on Quality Education and Development organized by the Human Resource Development Department [HRDD], which was witnessed by 12,269 students from Class eight to twelve and 2,312 teachers from six constituencies from in and around Gangtok. It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister has been touring the state to meet and interact and exchange his ideas with the students on quality education.
The CM stated that in the past 18 years the state government had made education up to college level free which is found in no other state or country. Citing few examples of the first world countries where the education and health sectors are more expensive, the Chief Minister informed the gathering that education is the basic component of human development which is free of cost in the state.
Continuing with the facilities developed and provided for the student community in the state the CM said that his government had completed all necessary infrastructure needed and was providing all the needed facilities for education to children. This, he said, was being done because he cannot compromise with the future of children of the State. College education in Sikkim is just 25 years old, while University education is only 05 years old, he informed.
While speaking on quality education, he stated that quality education has been the major concern of the government and consistent efforts have also been laid on quality at all levels. The government is spending 20% of the state budget towards education sector and has a target of making Sikkim the second 100% literate state in the country after Kerala by 2015, he added.  He also asked the teachers to impart value based education to the students so that they are prepared for the future besides being successful and a good human being.
In this regard, the Chief Minister highlighted about the various schemes and programmes like the Chief Ministers Meritorious Schemes, opening of Livelihood Schools in the nook and corner of the State, Comprehensive Education loan scheme and many more initiated by the State Government in the education sector.
Talking about the further plans of the government towards the enhancement of capacity of the students the Chief Minister informed about the government’s plan to provide coaching for national competitive examinations, including UPSC, engineering and in various other disciplines. In this way we will be preparing a well equipped human resource that can face the future challenges, he added. The Chief Minister also announced that pre-primary classes will also be started in the schools from next academic session for the students.
The Minister for HRDD, NK Pradhan while addressing the gathering of teachers and students talked about the concept of education which has been given utmost importance by the state government for the holistic development of the human resource of the state. But to be disciplined is most necessary for students, he added.
Present for the programme were Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Advisors, Chairpersons, Chairman, Member of Parliament [Rajya Sabha], Chief Secretary, Secretaries, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, DGP, SP [East], DC [East], Zilla Adyaksha, officials of HRDD and a host of other dignitaries.