Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 25 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday felicitated 75 meritorious students who secured positions among the top 10 in High School and Intermediate board examinations during the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Educational Excellence Awards Ceremony held at SCERT Auditorium, Nanurkheda.
During the event, principals of schools delivering outstanding results, along with heads of the top 50 performing institutions, were also honoured on the occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Dhami said that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was a versatile personality who believed that education should not be confined to books alone, but must also embody patriotism, moral values, social harmony, and practicality. He highlighted that it was with this vision that Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming to make the education system more modern, practical, and quality-driven. In line with this, the state government is working with commitment towards innovations in education, digital learning, and strengthening a value-based education system.
The Chief Minister noted that smart classrooms, digital libraries, and online learning platforms have been developed in educational institutions across the state, according to a release.
Additionally, through the book "Hamari Virasat", students from classes 6 to 8 are being introduced to India's rich culture, folk traditions, and eminent personalities from the state and the nation. He further informed that 226 schools are being developed as PM Shri Schools, while 1,300 schools across all 13 districts are already operating virtual classrooms. To extend online education to children in remote areas, five PM e-Vidya channels are also running. Free textbooks are being provided to all students from class 1 to 12 in government and aided schools, while scholarships are being awarded monthly to meritorious students under the CM Merit Scholarship Scheme. Furthermore, talented students of classes 10 and 12 are being sent on Bharat Darshan tours to aid their overall personality development.
The CM added that candidates who clear the written examinations of UPSC, NDA, CDS, and similar services are being provided with financial assistance of ₹50,000 for interview preparation.
Highlighting reforms in examinations, Dhami said that Uttarakhand has implemented the country's strictest anti-cheating law to curb malpractice. Over 25,000 youths have secured government jobs in the last four years, compared to just 16,000 appointments in the first 21 years of the state's formation. More than 100 cheating racketeers have been jailed since the enactment of this law. He pointed out that while transparent recruitments have opened new doors for common families, some vested interests are conspiring through paper leaks to push the youth's future into darkness. Referring to the recent exam paper leak attempt, he stated that strict action will be taken under the existing law.
The Chief Minister announced that an SIT has been constituted to investigate the recent exam irregularities, and decisive action will follow based on its findings. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that every cheating mafia is arrested and punished. Dhami reminded that after taking oath, he had resolved to fill vacant posts on priority, and record recruitments have since been carried out. He also criticized attempts to stall the recruitment process through demands for CBI investigations, stressing that the government's aim is transparency and timeliness in appointments so that no youth suffers injustice.
On the issue of minority education, the CM said that the state has implemented a new Minority Education Law. From July 1, 2026, only those madrasas that adopt the curriculum prescribed by the state education board will be allowed to operate. Religious instructors without proper educational qualifications, who were misleading children by focusing solely on religious teachings, will now be restricted under this law.
On this occasion, Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat shared that the number of students passing board exams with first division has increased by 18% this year. With the introduction of improvement exams, exam-related stress among students has also reduced significantly.