Honouring the meritorious students of the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized on Saturday that it is the collective responsibility of people to ensure that no student is deprived of education. He stated, “We must fulfill this duty, as it is the greatest service to the country.”

He further added, “In the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, educating someone is regarded as the most sacred work.”

At a program organized at Lok Bhavan, the Chief Minister also initiated the transfer of Rs 1200 per student for the purchase of uniforms, shoes, socks, sweaters, stationery, and school bags through DBT to the bank accounts of their parents or guardians.

Addressing teachers and the Education department officials, he stated, “You are involved in this sacred work. Your conduct should be that of a guide to society, not merely a government official.”

CM Yogi stressed the importance of establishing schools as new centers of innovation and research and preparing students to face the toughest challenges.

After felicitating the brilliant students, CM Yogi expressed that there is no greater honour for a Guru than to see those he has guided achieving high positions in the country, state, and district.

He stated, “Through these programs, we are honouring our talented students and presenting them as role models to the new generation, showing that if they also work hard, they will earn respect.”

Sharing his success mantra with the students, CM Yogi emphasized that no matter which field they choose in life, there is no substitute for hard work.

He said, “A person who takes shortcuts in life can never reach their destination. Therefore, you should strive to work as hard as you can in life. The students who put in the effort made it to the merit list. Success confirms that we are on the right path and should remain focused and undeterred.”

CM Yogi stated that students from Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education, Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Sanskrit Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) New Delhi, and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) New Delhi have been honored here.

He remarked, “A total of 170 students, including 112 girls and 58 boys have made it to the merit list of high school and intermediate. This success demonstrates that our daughters have made significant strides, and there is a need to pay more attention to their education and development.”

He mentioned that in the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education high school examination merit list, 4 boys and 13 girls made the cut out of a total of 17 students. In the intermediate merit list, 14 boys and 22 girls were among the 36 students.

For the high school examination of the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Sanskrit Education Council, 2 boys and 9 girls were listed among the 11 students in the merit list.

Additionally, in the intermediate merit list of 11 students, there is 1 boy and 10 girls. Among the 26 students from Uttar Pradesh in the CBSE class 10 merit list, there are 11 boys and 15 girls.

In the CBSE 10+2 merit list, out of 22 students, 3 are boys and 19 are girls. For ICSE, out of 30 students, 18 are boys and 12 are girls, while in the ICSE 10+2 category, out of 17 students, there are 5 boys and 12 girls.

CM Yogi emphasized that the government is awarding certificates, tablets, and one lakh rupees in cash to all these meritorious students.

Moreover, he announced that the roads in the villages or localities where these students reside will be named after them, or the government will undertake road construction projects in their honour. They will also have the opportunity to lay the foundation stone for these initiatives alongside the MLA and MP.

Highlighting the launch of several programs by the Basic Education Council today, Yogi remarked, “Under these initiatives, Rs 1200 per student has been disbursed to the bank accounts of parents of over 88 lakh students. The Basic Education Council has pioneered numerous innovations over the past 7 years.”

Reflecting on the state of education under previous governments, Yogi stated, “Before 2017, just as the government lived in darkness, they also allowed education to languish in darkness. Today, we have successfully conducted copy-free examinations within 12 days in a fair manner, with results available within 14 days.”

He contrasted this with the past, saying, “Previously, examinations took three months, results took another three months, admission took an additional three months, and the remainder was spent on festivals, marking a whole year.”

Emphasizing the strides taken by the Basic Education Council in advancing the next phase of Operation Kayakalp, which includes the introduction of modern PM SHRI Schools, Yogi announced, “We have established 18 Atal residential schools across 18 commissionerates. Additionally, we are set to inaugurate 57 new Mukhyamantri Composite Schools in various districts across the state.”

He continued, “Today marks a significant leap forward for the Basic Education Department under the Nipun Bharat Abhiyan in Uttar Pradesh. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Inter Colleges have also been upgraded to include classes 9 through 12, providing a new platform for girls’ education.”