Himachal CM launches 'Mere Shahar Ke 100 Ratna' to offer free coaching for 6,800 students

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched 'Mere Shahar Ke 100 Ratna,' providing free coaching to 6,800 students. CRACK Academy will oversee training, with state support, benefiting students and generating employment.  

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday launched the 'Mere Shahar Ke 100 Ratna' programme, an initiative aimed at providing free coaching for various competitive examinations to 6,800 students across Himachal Pradesh, said an official statement from the CM's office.

As per the CMO, under this program, CRACK Academy will offer free coaching to 100 meritorious students from each Assembly constituency, with an estimated investment of Rs 34 crore.

"To ensure a fair selection process, tests will be conducted in schools and colleges of each constituency, where students from Class VI and above can participate. The top 100 students from each constituency will receive free coaching, while the next 200 students will be given a 75 percent concession, and the following 500 students will receive a 50 percent concession. The company will provide handholding to these children until they achieve their goals," the statement said.

"The state government will fully support CRACK Academy in implementing this initiative successfully. While the Academy will prepare the test papers, the Education Department will oversee the examinations," it added.

The Chief Minister also launched a mega awareness campaign to raise awareness among students and parents. The program was initially piloted in the Jawalamukhi Assembly constituency of the Kangra district, where students from 50 schools participated. Currently, 220 selected students from Jawalamukhi are receiving merit-based coaching under this scheme.

The Chief Minister said, "This initiative will benefit talented students and generate employment opportunities in the State. CRACK Academy plans to establish over 90 coaching centers, directly employing 5,000 people while creating additional indirect employment."
The academy will also invest Rs 1.5 crore in renovating and maintaining the library at Ridge, Shimla. The Chief Minister directed the Academy to preserve the building's heritage value while equipping it with modern technology to enhance students' learning facilities.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar, Director, Higher Education Amarjeet Sharma and Director, Elementary Education Ashish Kohli were also present on the occasion, among others.