BARIPADA: Around 200 SC and ST students were selected by means of a lottery drawn by a committee chaired by Mayurbhanj Collector Surendra Kumar Meena to provide free education to them under Anwesha scheme. They will get admission in private English medium schools of the district.
In 2015, the State Government had launched the scheme to provide free education to SC and ST children free of cost. Under the scheme, 70 per cent ST and 30 per cent SC students will be benefited. Accordingly, the total sanctioned seats for the district was fixed at 750. But due to lack of infrastructure facilities in private English medium schools, 550 SC and ST children got the opportunity to take admission.
Later, the District Welfare department conducted an evaluation drive in private English medium schools to upgrade their infrastructure. A meeting was held on June 25 in the presence of all principals of English medium schools of Udala, Baripada, Karanjia and Rairangpur sub-divisions. It was decided to select the rest 200 students for admission this year through the lottery system. At least 547 ST and SC aspirants applied for admission under the scheme. Of them, 200 were selected through lottery on Sunday.