Selection test for CM’s Scholarship Scheme held across Sikkim

GANGTOK, 11 Jan [IPR]: The Selection Test for the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme for the academic session 2013 was conducted in all the four districts of the state today.
In East district, the selection test was conducted in Deorali Girls SSS where 161 students sat for the test.
In the same manner in West district 134 students sat for the test at Kyongsa SSS, 50 students in North district at Mangan SSS and 107 students in South district at Namchi Girls SSS. The selection test was held for the 200 seats and the meritorious students will seek admission in various reputed schools within and outside the state in Class VI.

CM scholarship ‘boon from heaven’ for Makha girl

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
MAKHA, 27 Feb:  Eleven-year-old, Khusboo Sharma who hails from Makha, 10th Mile, Patuk (Paksam Busty), East Sikkim has been selected under the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme 2012 placed in the 7th position and is all set for admission in Pinegrove School in Himachal Pradesh.  Khusboo is a student of Makha Secondary School and had stood first in her last examination of class V at Makha.
About 200 meritorious students were selected under the CM’s Merit Scholarship Scheme this year from a statewide written examination held for class-V students who will now be placed, on full scholarship at reputed schools outside and within the state.
Speaking on this opportunity, Khusboo Sharma shared “For me it’s like a boon from heaven! Though it would be tough to stay away from my parents I am looking ahead because that is what my family has taught me”.
Confessing that she was stunned when she first heard the news, Khusboo is happy that it has made her family proud. “I will give my best efforts and study with dedication at my new school”, said Khusboo.
She thanked her family, friends and teachers, for their support and contribution without which this would not have been possible, she added. She especially expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her teachers for their support in guiding her towards success.  
On the other hand the proud parents, Bhawani Sharma and Durga Sharma also expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Area MLA of Tumin-Lingee constituency, Ugen T Gyatso, teachers and all well-wishers for their support and contribution.    

Counselling for CM’s Merit Scholarship Scheme on 26 Feb

GANGTOK, 21 Feb [IPR]: The Counselling for the two hundred selected candidates  who are to be provided admission for 2012 session under Chief Minister’s Special Merit Scholarship Scheme is scheduled to be held on 26 February at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok.
As per the press note received from Human Resource Development Department, Government of Sikkim the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling will preside over the programme. The department has further said in its note that the father or mother of the selected student and the selected student himself/herself has to be present at Chintan Bhawan by 10.30 am along with the original Birth Certificate of the selected student, certificate of Identification of the father of the selected student and Class V Mark sheet.
It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister’s Special Merit Scholarship Scheme was started w.e.f. 2010 under which class V toppers of government schools are being provided admission in reputed public schools in and outside the state in Class VI.
MP urges youth to make the right choices at Dist Youth Convention.

Power Minister lauds Dzongu’s performance in CM’s Merit Scholarship Scheme

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
NAMPRIKDANG, DZONGU, 14 Feb: Development in human resource is essential for the development of the state, said area MLA cum Power Minister, Dzongu constituency, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha while addressing the gathering of teachers and employees of Dzongu constituency here at Namprikdang in Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim on Sunday. Expressing satisfaction over the improvement in education sector in Dzongu the Minister said that Dzongu has done well in the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme this year wherein out of 26 students selected from North district 16 were from Dzongu.  It is the contribution of the teachers that these students have been selected, he added.
The Minister also said that every individual should contribute for the development of the society and stressed that the government is doing everything possible for the people of the state. He informed that four students amongst the top 40 selected will be sent outside Sikkim in the best schools while the rest of the students will be admitted to best schools within the state.
The four students who have been selected in the top 40 have ranked 2nd, 10th, 15th and 22nd out of 200 students.  It may be recalled here that out 0f 22 students selected last year from North District 13 were from Dzongu.
Earlier in his address, Samten Lepcha (Headmaster, Sangdong SS) cum Coordinator highlighted about the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship scheme and informed that there should be contribution from the parents as well.  He emphasized on coordination and communication between the teachers and parents for the proper development of the child. He also informed that coaching classes were conducted for students in their respective schools and for Upper Dzongu coaching was held at Passingdang.
The function concluded with the vote of thanks by Nim Pintso Lepcha while it was also attended by Panchayat and Zilla members, teachers, employees of Dzongu.

West Sikkim lad tops CM’s Merit Scholarship Test 2012

STATE TO INVEST Rs. 685 LAKH ON ALL THREE BATCHES TOTALLING 350 STUDENTS UNDER THE SCHEME
GANGTOK, 29 Jan: Amit Sharma of Lower Bermiok Junior High School in West Sikkim has topped the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Test 2012. Likewise, Sangay Ongmu Lepcha of Taryang Primary School, Kunchuk Ongmu Bhutia of Phodong Senior Secondary School and Passang Dem Lepcha of Mangan Senior Secondary School, all three from North Sikkim, stood second, third and fourth in the merit list.
The Human Resource Development Department conducted the selection test under the scheme on 05 January at all four districts under the strict supervision of the district officials. A total of 454 students turned out for the selection test, which was around 72% of the total attendance.
For the year 2012, the State Government has doubled the number of beneficiaries to 200 from 100 in the previous year. Out of the 200, 40 students are to be admitted to schools outside the state and the remaining 160 in schools within the state.
This unique Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship scheme was launched by the State Government in the year 2010 to provide equal opportunity for good education to every rural and underprivileged student.
The merit list was announced in a press conference on Saturday, which was addressed by the HRDD Minister, NK Pradhan, HRDD Secretary, CS Rao and other HRDD officials.
The tentative financial estimate calculated on the basis of the present fee structures for sponsoring the total 350 students [50 of the first batch, 100 of the second and 200 of this year’s batch] for the year 2012 is worked out to the tune of Rs 685 lakh by the department.
The HRDD Minister stated that this is a unique scheme in the whole country conceived by the Chief Minister to provide equal opportunity to every student from the remotest part to get the best education. He informed this was the third year of the scheme which started with 50 students and was doubled to 100 last year and this year it has been further increased to 200.
Mr Pradhan stated that the government wants students from rural areas to get an opportunity to mingle with the students of public schools in and outside the state. He further added that the Government has been trying to make the education system easily accessible to the rural students.
“The Chief Minister started this scheme with a great vision so that students will come out with flying colours and this has been appreciated by people from other states,” he added.
The Minister shared that when he met the principals of public schools where students under this scheme were admitted outside the state, they were shocked and greatly impressed with the state government’s initiative for rural students. He also informed that even these schools were happy and satisfied with the students’ performances.
He stressed that the future of Sikkim is in the students’ future and such exposure in their childhood would help in the overall development of the state. The Minister further expressed his best wishes to the 200 students who have made it to the merit list this year.
The HRDD Secretary stated that the counseling date will be announced soon as the department is still in talks with the schools. He informed that as many schools take students through entrance tests, the department has selected 5 boys on the merit list for the entrance test of Welham Boys' School in Dehradun.
Mr Rao informed that the department has already sent these 5 students for the entrance tests and it is hoped that some of them would get through the test.
In its first year in 2010, 50 toppers of class V board examination were selected under the scheme. The first batch of 50 students of class V board examination 2009, comprising of 14 students from East and 12 each from North, South and West districts, were selected and a screening test was held in order to identify the top 10 for admission outside the state. From amongst them, 3 girls were admitted to Pinegrove School in Himachal Pradesh and 7 boys were admitted to Scindia School, Gwalior and the remaining 40 were admitted to public schools within the state. Rs 95 lakh was sanctioned for the year 2010-11 to meet the costs for the scheme.
The government then decided to enhance the number of beneficiaries under the scheme to 100. As per RTE Act 2009, the board examinations for class V and VIII were done away with from the year 2010. Hence a district level screening test was conducted to select the 100 students after obtaining the approval of the government. This test was conducted on 15 December at all four districts and lists of 28 students from East and 24 students each from the rest of the districts were selected under this scheme.
In order to achieve equal representation from all four districts while selecting the top 20 students for admission to schools outside the state, it was decided to select the top 4 students as per the consolidated merit list and 4 each as per the district merit lists.
At present, out of the 150 students [excluding this year’s batch] selected under the scheme, at Pinegrove School in Himachal Pradesh, 3 were admitted in 2010 and 8 in 2011, at Aryan School, Dehradun in Uttrakhand 3 were admitted in 2011 and 7 in 2010 and at Scindia School, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, 7 were admitted in 2010 and 5 in 2011.
Likewise in the state, 10 students in 2010 and 20 in 2011 were admitted to Tashi Namgyal Academy, 11 in 2010 and 24 in 2011 were admitted to St Xavier’s School, Pakyong, 7 in 2010 and 12 in 2011 were admitted to Namchi Public School, 12 in 2010 and 15 in 2011 were admitted to Don Bosco School, Malbasey and 13 students were admitted to St Joseph School, Martam in 2011.  The financial expenditure for sponsoring 150 students for the year 2011-12 was estimated at Rs 270 lakh.

CM’s Merit Scholarship Scheme doubles intake, 200 students will benefit this year

GANGTOK, 20 Dec: Screening tests for the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme 2012-13 session will be conducted by the Human Resource Development Department on 05 January 2012. The selection test is scheduled to begin at all district headquarters simultaneously at 10:30 AM on the day.

Deptt to go by merit list to fill vacancies in CM’s Special Merit Scholarship Scheme

ACCUSED TEACHERS HAVE ADMITTED TO HAVING FORGED DOCUMENTS
GANGTOK, 15 Mar: Two students, next in line in the merit list [who secured the 25th and 26th positions] of the screening test will be replacing vacancies created in the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship scheme. This, following the uncovering of a fraud played out by the headmaster of Suntaley Junior High School and two other teachers who forged documents to enable their wards to sit for the screening test and get sponsored to reputed schools. [click here, here and here for background details]
Director, HRDD, CS Rao, while speaking to NOW! today, informed that the two students who secured the 25th and 26th ranks in the screening test will be joining Tashi Namgyal Academy and Pineridge School in Himachal Pradesh now.

Students Assc condemns Suntaley JHS episode

GANGTOK, 03 March: The All Sikkim Students Association [ASSA] has strongly condemned the cheating indulged in by three teachers of Suntaley JHS in the Chief Minister’s Special Merit Scholarship scheme. [click here for background details]

HRDD suspends 3 teachers accused of forging documents for CM’s Special Merit Scholarship

GANGTOK, 02 March: The headmaster and two teachers of Suntaley Junior High School in South Sikkim accused of having forged documents to enable their ward to sit for the screening test of the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship scheme were issued suspension orders by the Human Resource Development Department today. [click here and here for details of the case]
Director, HRDD, CS Rao, while speaking to NOW! late this afternoon, informed that the Department has drawn up the suspension orders and issued them before office closed today.

Deptt considers termination of 3 teachers who cheated State and students in CM’s Special Merit Scholarship scheme

SUBASH RAI
GANGTOK, 02 March: The Human Resource Development Department has confirmed that the Headmaster, Purna Bahadur Gurung, and two teachers, Binod Gurung and Bhuwan Pandey, of Suntaley Junior High School had played foul in the conduction of the Chief Minister’s Special Merit Scholarship scheme at their school. Termination of the services of all three has been mooted by the Department and orders are expected soon. [click here for background details and public complaint]
The Department also claims that necessary action had been initiated immediately after the complaint reached the Department through the public of Sadam-Suntaley.

Sandam-Suntaley parents accuse JHS headmaster and teachers of sneaking in their wards for CM’s Special Merit Scholarship at the cost of genuine candidates

VILLAGE WANTS SERVICES OF HEADMASTER AND ACCUSED TEACHERS TERMINATED

SAGAR CHHETRI
GANGTOK, 01 March: The state government has been pursuing quality education by launching various unique programmes and schemes. The Chief Minister’s Special Merit Scholarship which seeks to place meritorious students hailing from underprivileged backgrounds and enrolled in government schools at the leading schools of the State and the country, is one such laudable initiative. Unfortunately, there are always opportunists around to undermine the best of efforts, and one such subversion was alleged today by villagers of Sadam-Suntaley in South Sikkim who accused the headmaster and two teachers of the junior high school there of having got their wards to sit for the screening test [for the scheme] at the cost of the school’s genuine class-V toppers. The screening test for the scholarship was open to students who secured the first and second positions in class V exams in their respective schools.