BHUBANESWAR: ChiefMinister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday felicitated 34 students belonging to Dongria Kondh tribal community, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), for their success in the High School Certificate (HSC) Examination, 2017.
While felicitating the students, which included 25 girls, Naveen also gifted one tablet computer to each and hoped that the gadgets would help them in higher studies.
Stating that education is the biggest tool to fight poverty and bring equality in the society, the CM exhorted the students to encourage other children in their community to study and excel in life.
All the 34 students are from the State-run residential schools of Rayagada district. While there are 19 special education complexes for girl students of 13 PVTGs, 470 PVTG students have passed the matriculation examination this year.
The State Government has set up 1670 residential schools and 5,500 hostels for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students. Over five lakh students are enrolled in these schools.
The rate of success of students of these residential schools, managed by Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development Department, in the HSC exam is 95.71 per cent, said SC and ST Welfare Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi.