The state government has taken many pioneering initiatives, including providing free computer education and free cycles to promote education among SC/ST girls.
Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh has now been transformed into a preferred education hub in the country. From taking initiatives to provide free computer education to girls, to providing free cycles to promote education among scheduled caste/scheduled tribe girls, to the “Student Accident Insurance Scheme” to the mid-day meal plan for students, the Raman Singh government has embarked on pioneering initiatives to turn the state into a preferred education destination.
CM good governance fellowship
Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the CM Good Governance Fellowship (CMGGF) is an endeavor of the Chhattisgarh government to harness the experience, knowledge and youthful energy of educated professionals as a prominent step towards social service, and to elevate and transform the future development of the state.
Programme details
The fellowship programme offers a unique opportunity to the selected fellows to work closely with the government and deliver impact on the ground by leveraging data and technology.
The fellowship programme is directed towards addressing successful implementation of high priority schemes of the state government, especially ones aimed at improving the health indicators, poverty alleviation and raising literacy. A total of 47 fellows have been selected.
Dantewada Education city
Dantewada district in southern Chhattisgarh has a literacy rate of 41.19%. The district is also affected by Maoist insurgency. Many government officials have done good work to improve the quality of life in Dantewada. They also closely monitor the implementation of government schemes in the district. Students are encouraged and motivated to regain trust in attending schools.
Programme details
“Chhu Lo Aasman”, the tagline of the programme, is plastered all over colleges where class 11 and 12 students have been brought from all over the district to receive special coaching for entrance examinations to medical and engineering colleges.
The District Collector has awarded the best teachers, renovated existing campuses, painted the buildings in white, and named them J.C. Bose house, C.V. Raman house, Kalpana house, A.P.J house, after prominent Indian scientists and mathematicians, one of whom is a former president.
The state government, along with the District Collector, has been fixing rampant corruption, improving the learning environment, sensitizing teachers, most of whom come from other regions.
Expected outcomes
Feedback from students convey the message that teaching has become qualitatively better in schools/colleges after this new initiative to promote better education. Students are welcoming this new education initiative, saying that they are lucky to get such arrangements in schools and this contributes to making minds better. The District Collector has developed special coaching centres, polytechnic institutes, two residential schools through half funding from mining companies and half from the Centre.
District Computer Training centres
As part of the Chhattisgarh Information Technology Plan, many initiatives have been taken to provide free computer education to girls. District Computer Training centres have been set up in 16 districts. To promote education among the scheduled caste/scheduled tribe girls, who are studying in high schools, free bicycles are being provided for easy transportation under the “Saraswati Cycle Yojna.” This has attracted girl students to attend schools, reducing the drop-out rate over the years.
For SC/ST students of primary schools and those below the poverty line, free school uniforms are being provided. Under the Student Accident Insurance Scheme, students from government and aided primary schools to university level students are provided accident insurance.
Prayas Residential Schools
Prayas Residential Schools have been established in all five divisional headquarters—Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur and Ambikapur—for education of children from the Naxal violence affected tribal populated districts. The first Prayas Residential School was established in Gudiyari, capital city Raipur, which was inaugurated in July 2010. In 2016, 27 students of Prayas Schools have cracked the AIEEE and have been selected in prestigious institutions such as IIT, IIIT, and Indian School of Mines. Meritorious students of Class 10 are given admission in Class 11 at Prayas Schools and provided free coaching for competitive examinations.