In a historic shift for Jharkhand’s education system, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday announced that the prestigious Netarhat Residential School will now admit girl students. He also declared that three new schools will be opened on the Netarhat model, expanding the state’s most celebrated government education institution.
Addressing the Niyukti Patra Vitaran-cum-Medha Samman Samaroh at the Jharkhand Ministry, the Chief Minister said Netarhat has already been affiliated with the CBSE board and now offers English-medium education. “Our effort is to ensure that children studying in government schools are in no way left behind compared to private schools,” he said.
The event marked a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening Jharkhand’s education system. The government distributed appointment letters to 975 newly appointed staff, including 33 postgraduate trained teachers, 909 assistant professors in mathematics and science, and 33 laboratory assistants. “These appointments are part of our commitment to build a robust teaching infrastructure,” the Chief Minister said.
The programme also saw the launch of the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar Yojana and the Jharkhand e-Shiksha Mahotsav 2025, both intended to improve quality and digital access in schools.
Toppers of Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC), CBSE, and ICSE boards, along with students from the Chief Minister’s Excellence Schools and the state-run Aakanksha Coaching scheme, were felicitated. JAC toppers received a cash award of ₹3 lakh, laptops, smartphones, and Scooties, while CBSE and ICSE toppers were given laptops and certificates. The government also assured that toppers across boards will receive their prize money immediately after results to avoid any financial hurdles in higher studies.
Highlighting the rising popularity of government institutions, Soren said that Chief Minister’s Excellence Schools are attracting admissions from private school students, reflecting improved standards. “There is now a rush for admissions in these schools, which shows that government schools are no less than private institutions,” he noted.
The Chief Minister also outlined measures to encourage higher studies, including 100% scholarships for studying abroad, expansion of the Guruji Credit Card Scheme with loans up to ₹15 lakh without collateral, and enhanced scholarships across categories.
“Jharkhand is committed to building a distinct identity in the education sector,” Soren said. “Our effort is to equip government schools with resources and provide modern education so that students can compete at any level.”