Chhatra Protsahan Yojana launched to provide free coaching for entrance exam

Bhubaneswar, Oct 4: ST and SC Development Department launched 'Chhatra Protsahan Yojana' (CPY) to provide free coaching for medical and engineering entrance examinations to 320 ST and SC students of the state, every year. Presently, Department is running 62 numbers of Higher Secondary Schools in 14 districts. Every year, more than 30,000 ST/SC students appear in the Annual HSC Examination. In order to encourage the students of Higher Secondary Schools towards Higher education and with an intent to identify and nurture the potential ST / SC students from a young age, 7 Centres of Excellence have been set up in the SSD schools of the state, where the coaching will be provided. Students will be selected on the basis of Standard X merit and a selection test from among the students who have passed matric from SSD High Schools. The scheme has been prepared by the Department keeping in mind the needs of the students residing in deep tribal pockets who are unable to realize their potential due to lack of access to better coaching opportunities. It is envisaged that under the proposed scheme "Chatra Protsahan Yojana" meritorious ST and SC students will be tapped young at the outgoing Std. X level and through an inclusive approach the selected students will be imparted coaching in the same environment where he/she will also continue Higher Secondary Education. On this occasion, MoUs were signed with the coaching agencies selected for this programme. These agencies will be providing on site Medical and Engineering coaching and preparatory training to the selected ST/SC students in the 7 Centres of Excellence.