A New Chapter for Himachal’s Youth: Building Dreams in Government Schools
The children of Himachal Pradesh are at the heart of a quiet educational revolution. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the state is taking bold, historic steps to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has access to a modern, high-quality education that prepares them for the future.
This vision begins with a landmark decision: introducing the CBSE curriculum in government schools. Born from extensive consultation with experts, this move aims to provide students with a competitive edge, ensuring their holistic development and readiness for national-level challenges.
Investing in the Future
The state government is backing its vision with serious commitment. This year, a significant budget of ₹9,849 crore has been dedicated to education. This investment is fueling a wave of new initiatives, all focused on one goal: modern and quality education for every child in Himachal.
Tangible Changes, Visible Results
The promises are already turning into reality. Fulfilling an election guarantee, English-medium instruction was introduced from grade one. Today, young students are confidently expressing themselves in both English and Hindi, gaining valuable skills that will open doors for them later in life.
The government is also strengthening schools from the ground up by:
· Optimizing Resources: Rationalizing schools to ensure a strong teacher-student ratio, making Himachal a leading state in this critical metric.
· Building Centers of Excellence: 850 institutions, from primary schools to colleges, have been declared ‘Centres of Excellence’ and are being upgraded with modern infrastructure, labs, and adequate teaching staff.
· Creating Model Schools: Rajiv Gandhi Government Model Day-Boarding Schools are being established in every constituency, equipped with smart classrooms, libraries, and sports facilities for all-round development.
Supporting Students Every Step of the Way
Understanding that education doesn’t end at school, the government is providing robust support systems:
· Affordable Higher Education: The Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana offers education loans of up to ₹20 lakh at a mere 1% interest for studies in India or abroad.
· Nourishing Young Minds: The Mukhyamantri Bal Posahar Yojana provides nutritious meals to over 5.35 lakh children in nearly 15,000 schools.
Preparing for Tomorrow, Today
The reforms are forward-looking, designed to prepare students for the world of tomorrow. This includes introducing modern subjects like Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. In a major shift, the government has also filled over 12,000 teaching and non-teaching posts and changed the retirement system to prevent mid-session disruptions to children’s studies.
Celebrating Himachal’s Heritage
In a beautiful blend of the global and the local, a new initiative will contextualize NCERT textbooks for classes 6 to 12 with references to Himachal’s rich culture and history. Students will learn about ancient temples, freedom fighters, local arts, and festivals, fostering a deep sense of pride and belonging.
A National Leader in Education
The results of these efforts are already speaking for themselves. Himachal Pradesh has achieved a remarkable literacy rate of 99.30%, well before the national 2030 target. The state has skyrocketed from 21st to 5th place in the National Achievement Survey, and its students’ reading abilities are now ranked among the best in the country.
From sending students and teachers on educational tours to Singapore and Kerala to reorganizing the entire education department for better efficiency, every decision is building a brighter future. Through these ambitious efforts, Himachal Pradesh is not just educating its youth—it is empowering them to lead.
