In Odisha's Mayurbhanj, 40 tribal students have secured engineering college admissions, including two in NITs, thanks to the district's 'Medhabhi Mayurbhanj' and 'Achievers' coaching initiatives for professional entrance exams.
In a major boost to tribal education in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, around 40 students have secured admission to engineering colleges, including two who have made it to National Institutes of Technology (NITs), following focused efforts by the district administration to improve access to professional education.
'Medhabhi Mayurbhanj' and 'Achievers' Initiative
The initiative is being carried out under the district administration's education programme 'Medhabhi Mayurbhanj', aimed at improving learning outcomes and literacy levels from primary education to higher secondary classes. Under the programme, a special initiative called 'Achievers' was launched to prepare tribal students for competitive examinations for professional courses such as engineering and medicine.
Speaking to ANI, Mayurbhanj District Magistrate Hemakanta Say said that the initiative was started to provide better opportunities to tribal students through focused coaching and academic support. "Under 'Medhabhi Mayurbhanj', we started another initiative called 'Achievers'. When we started it last time, around 16 to 17 students got admitted into engineering colleges. This year, we continued it and made the selection process a bit stronger," Say said.
He said coaching facilities were provided at Bangriposi for students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and SSD Department schools. Students were selected through an entrance test and around 40 to 50 students were provided free food and coaching facilities for medical and engineering entrance examinations.
"So far, through counselling, around 40 students have been selected for admission into engineering colleges in branches like Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. Out of these, two students got into NIT, while others got selected for State Engineering Colleges. Counselling is still ongoing, and we hope for more selections," the DM added.
The district administration said the number of students entering engineering colleges has increased significantly compared to last year, when around 16-17 students secured admissions.
Empowering Weaker Sections
One of the students who secured admission to NIT Jamshedpur in Electrical Engineering belongs to a farming family.
Say said that such achievements are a major milestone for students coming from rural and economically weaker backgrounds. "Next time, we will try to increase the number of NIT selections. The student who got into NIT Jamshedpur for Electrical Engineering comes from a very humble background; his father is a small farmer. Getting into an NIT is a huge milestone for them. It secures his future, improves the living standard for the next generation, and helps in mainstreaming society as a form of empowerment," he said.
Future Goals and Wider Impact
The administration is also working towards improving tribal education infrastructure through central government schemes such as PM-JANMAN and Aadi Karmayogi Abhiyaan, with the aim of creating better learning opportunities for tribal youth.
Officials said that the success of these students is inspiring other children in villages across Mayurbhanj to pursue higher education and aim for professional careers. The district administration is also focusing on medical entrance preparation, hoping that students from the region will secure admission to government medical colleges in the coming years.
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