CHENNAI:Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa presented cash awards and certificate of appreciation to 21 students from the State who secured first rank in the Plus Two examination held this year. The students are from the schools run by Adi Dravida Welfare, School Education, Backward Classes, Differently abled, Nutritious Meals and Forest departments and studied Tamil as language subject.
The Chief Minister handed over cheque for Rs 50,000 each (totally Rs 10.50 lakh) to the students at the Secretariat on June 29.
Presenting the awards and certificate of appreciation, Jayalalithaa said,“I take pride in congratulating all of you. I wish all of you reach high positions in the coming years and be successful in your career. I pray the Almighty to bestow a bright future on all of you.” The students profusely thanked the Chief Minister for her gesture.
Thanks to the efforts taken by the AIADMK government in imparting quality education, the pass percentage has gone up to 92.9 per cent in SSLC while it is 90.6 per cent for Plus Two. The students studying in schools run by Adi Dravida Welfare, School Education, Backward Classes, Differently abled, Nutritious Meals and Forest departments with Tamil as a language subject, have scored high marks in SSLC and Plus Two examinations. At the State level, 72 students scored first rank, 216 second rank, and 710 students scored third rank. The State government will bear the total expenditure involved for the higher studies of these rank holders.
The Chief Minister had earlier ordered beginning this year the cash award would be increased to Rs 50,000 per top ranking student studying in Government Children’s homes and those run by NGOs. She also ordered similar enhancement of cash award for Plus Two toppers hailing from schools run by Adi Dravidar and Scheduled Tribes department.
School Education Minister KC Veeramani, Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan, Advisor to State government, Sheela Balakrishnan and senior officials were present on the occasion.