In a significant push to revitalise the education landscape in his constituency, Odisha's Higher Education Minister and Dhamnagar MLA, Suryabanshi Suraj, unveiled a new award scheme aimed at recognising and fostering academic excellence. The initiative, named Bidhayak Medha Samman, was officially launched during a headmasters' conclave held in Dhamnagar, Bhadrak district, on Monday.
A Multi-Pronged Approach to Educational Excellence
Minister Suraj outlined the core objectives of the scheme, which are squarely focused on strengthening the foundational pillars of education within the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency. The primary goals are to prioritise quality education, significantly reduce school dropout rates, and encourage students, teachers, and institutions that demonstrate outstanding performance. The minister emphasised that this initiative is a step towards creating a more robust and accountable education system at the grassroots level.
Four Key Award Categories with Substantial Cash Prizes
The Bidhayak Medha Samman will distribute awards and financial incentives across four distinct categories, each designed to target a specific aspect of the educational ecosystem.
Under the student awards category, pupils who secure an A1 grade in the Class X board examinations will be rewarded with Rs 5,000 each. This financial incentive also extends to students who achieve high ranks in state-level science exhibitions, sports meets, and cultural competitions.
Recognising the pivotal role of school leadership, the headmaster awards will grant Rs 10,000 each to principals of schools that record the highest number of A1 graders, the lowest dropout rate, and the highest enrolment in a given academic year.
Major Incentives for Schools: Up to Rs 15 Lakh
The scheme introduces two high-value awards for institutions. Firstly, one school in Dhamnagar will be selected as the best performing school based on benchmarks aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, teacher-student attendance records, and overall academic performance. The selected school will receive a substantial reward of Rs 15 lakh.
Secondly, a separate award of Rs 15 lakh will be given to one primary or secondary school in the constituency that demonstrates remarkable progress in student retention or enrolment. To qualify, a school must achieve either a 25% reduction in its dropout rate within one year or a 15% increase in enrolment compared to the previous academic session.
Transparent Selection Process and Future Roadmap
To ensure a fair and objective evaluation, Minister Suraj announced that a dedicated selection committee will be formed. This committee will assess schools on multiple critical parameters, including the effective implementation of NEP-2020 guidelines, initiatives taken to strengthen infrastructure, the effectiveness of various educational schemes, and overall academic and administrative performance.
The launch of the Bidhayak Medha Samman marks a targeted intervention by the local MLA to address specific challenges in Dhamnagar's education sector. By directly incentivising academic success, administrative efficiency, and dropout reduction, the scheme aims to create a culture of healthy competition and continuous improvement among all stakeholders in the constituency's schools.
