Assam Govt awards Rs. 20,000 to 16,944 students who scored above 75% in 10th exams

Guwahati: Assam's Finance, Health, and Education Minister today handed over Rs. 20,000 to 16,944 students from Assam who had received star marks in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) in a glittering ceremony in Guwahati city. This year, the State Government has not given the students the option of availing laptops instead of cash due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Altogether, 16,944 students who passed HSLC, High Madrassa, Senior Madrassa examinations this year by scoring 75 percent total aggregate marks or above, have received the Anundoram Borooah Award 2020.

"Usually, we try to hand over laptops, which costs us around Rs. 20,000 per device. This year, however, the Government has decided to give the same amount as going to buy laptops and bringing laptops would be more time-consuming owing to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis," Sarma said at the award ceremony held at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra.

The Minister further stated that in the future, feedback would be sought from the students as to whether laptops should be handed out by the government or money should be given instead.

Sarma said that the decision to hand over laptops to meritorious students was initially met with much criticism, but has been embraced by the people. "When the scheme was first announced, people questioned what good laptops were when a vast number of students did not even have access to electricity, and the issue was politicized. However, in response, students were given the option of choosing between money and laptops," Sarma said.

The Minister said that over the years, the decision to hand over laptops to meritorious 10th passed students has received much support from the student community and has greatly facilitated the "digitization" of the education sector in Assam.

"3,73,855 students have so far received the Anundoram Borooah Award. Today, I consider myself blessed to hand over this award to 16,944 students," the Minister said, adding that this scheme has been a crowning achievement of the Assam State Government.

Sarma, during his address, also recalled the great Sanskrit scholar from Assam Anundoram Baruah after whom the award is named. "I pray Assam sees many Anundoram Baruahs someday. That our kind cam claim superiority in academics and administration, both. That our State can offer constructive contributions to the country as a whole," he said.

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