CM’s laptop bonanza for bright kids

The fact that the government is recognising laptops as tools for better education is now reflected in the thousands of laptops distributed by various state governments in the last couple of years. The latest to join the ranks is the state of Madhya Pradesh which felicitated and presented laptops to students who scored 85% or higher (75% for SC) in the class XII board examinations on Wednesday.

At the Medhavi Vidyarthi Protsahan Samaroh (meritorious students encouragement function) organised by MPs school education department, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributed laptops to all such students. Notably, some of the students were laying their hands on a laptop for the first time in their lives.

There were a certain number of students who were not distributed laptops; for all those students a cash amount was transferred in accounts. As an appropriate display of technology at the event, laptops worth 53 lakhs were distributed by the CM. 4 students were even distributed cycles.

The general euphoria on receiving a laptop was correctly encapsulated by the comments of Rajeev Dangi, a student from government boys' higher secondary school, Teharka village, Tikamgarh and also one of those whom the CM felicitated on stage. He said that his school was located in a remote area and lacked facilities. Of them, computers were definitely one of them. On being questions how he will use the laptop, he smilingly said, "Ab seekh lenge. (Now I will learn.)".

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This sentiment was echoed by many of the students present there, they wanted things to change in their schools. They want the computer to make its way to their schools. “Most of the time there is no power in our school, even if we had computer in schools, we never had classes. Laptop is a big thing for us, but what is the use now if learning basics will consume half of our time," said Praveen Kumar Vasuniya, a meritorious student from Jhabua.

At the same event, the CM announced the imminent launch of the Mukhyamantri Medhavi Vidhyarthi Sahayta Yojna to assist students whose education suffered due to financial constraints. To be launched with an initial corpus of ₹1,000 crores, the scheme will enable the state government to pay the fees of students who will pursue courses in IIT, IIMs or medical colleges.

The CM invited suggestions from the students on how to make the scheme more viable and accessible. Chouhan asked the students to send their suggestions on his official email id or on his facebook or twitter account or even on the citizen corner Shivrajsinghchouhan.org.

The entire ground lit up with the mobile phone flash lights when the students waved them around as an approval of the CM’s ideas for improving education in the state.

* Read the original story by Aditi Gyanesh on www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Image used for representational purpose only

Image Courtesy: timesofindia