Sundargarh: Poverty will no longer be a hurdle for meritorious students from tribal, poor and middle class families of mining-affected blocks in Sundargarh district to chase their dreams.
The district administration has arranged free of cost coaching facilities for them so that they can prepare well for national level engineering, medical, law, architecture etc. entrance examinations.
The facility is being provided to students in six mining-affected blocks such as Koida, Kutra, Lahunipada, Kuarmunda, Rajgangpur and Hemagiri.
The selection is being done on the basis of their marks. Those who have passed Class X and Plus II or pursuing their Plus II are being prepared for national level examinations like Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA).
The initiative, launched with the financial support from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), has been welcomed by the students. They are receiving coaching at three special centres established in Sundargarh, Rajgangpur and Rourkela. While as many as 400 students have joined in the first phase, they are being provided with free boarding and lodging facilities.
The students say their parents can’t afford the cost of reputed institutions providing coaching. Now they are hopeful that they can shape their career.
“I live in mining-hit Rajgangpur block. I aspire to be an engineer. Earlier in Rajgangpur, there were no facilities for the preparation for higher education. The coaching centres set up by the district administration will go a long way in helping the students crack the national level examinations. I have enrolled myself at Sundargarh centre. I am confident that I will secure good marks in IIT entrance examinations and fulfil my dream,” observed Jejaswini Perua.
Another student, David Kerketa said, “I aspired to take admission into medical college. Due to financial problem, I was not able to prepare myself for NEET entrance examinations. I am fortunate enough to get the opportunity to receive free coaching at Rourkela centre. I have been provided with all the books and other study materials free of cost. The coaching will immensely help me secure good marks in the entrance examinations.”
Echoing the same, yet another student from Hemagiri block, Laxmipriya Mahanandia thanked the district administration and state government for providing free coaching facilities. “The centre has all the facilities and the teachers are very helpful. They are always encouraging us to excel in our endeavours,” she added.
Kota in Rajasthan is famous for coaching for national level entrance examinations. Since two centres of Kota have been roped in and entrusted the responsibility of managing these three centres, not only students but also their parents are excited.
The coaching centres have all the facilities starting from ultra modern class rooms to library. The hostels have round the clock pure drinking water and internet facilities. In order to make sure 100 per cent attendance, biometric identity cards have been issued to the students.
Under Skill Development Programme in Sundargarh district, the government has taken up some other programmes as well. ‘Sudaksha’ programme is already there in the district. Three ‘Sudaksha’ centres at Sundargarh, Rourkela and Bonai are functioning. Here too talented youths from mining-hit areas are being given free of cost coaching to realise their dreams.
PNN