PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented awards to 75 high school and intermediate students who secured top 10 positions in the board exams during the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Educational Excellence Awards ceremony held here on Thursday. On this occasion, three principals from each school with excellent board exam results were also honoured, in addition to the principals of the top 50 performing schools.
The CM emphasised that Upadhyay was a multifaceted personality who believed education should extend beyond mere book knowledge. The State government is committed to strengthening educational innovation, digital learning and an education system rooted in Indian values. Initiatives include the development of smart classrooms, digital libraries and others. Additionally, the government is introducing students in grades VII to VIII to India’s rich culture, folk traditions and notable personalities through the book Hamari Virasat, he said.
CM said that 226 schools in the State are being developed into PM Shri Vidyalayas, while virtual classes are currently being conducted in 1,300 schools across all 13 districts. Further, five PM e-Vidya channels are being operated to provide online education to children in remote areas. Dhami informed that free textbooks are being distributed to all students in grades I to XII in government and aided schools throughout the State. He said that Uttarakhand has implemented the country’s strictest anti-cheating law to combat the cheating mafia. Over the past four years, more than 25,000 young people from the state have been selected for government jobs, with many from ordinary families successfully passing multiple exams. In contrast, only 16,000 appointments were made in the first 21 years of the state’s formation. Since the implementation of strict anti-cheating laws, over 100 individuals involved in cheating have been jailed.
Dhami stated that some individuals are unhappy with the transparency surrounding youth admissions for government jobs and are conspiring to leak exam papers to jeopardise their future. Recently, an unsuccessful attempt was made to leak papers in the State, and efforts are being made to create chaos based on a single complaint. He assured that strict laws are already in place for such cases, and decisive action will be taken. CM said the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate recent examination irregularities, pledging that action will be taken based on the SIT’s findings. The government is committed to selectively arresting and punishing every cheating mafia in the State.
Additionally, Dhami informed the implementation of a new Minority Education Act in Uttarakhand. Under this law, starting July 1, 2026, only Madarsas that teach the curriculum prescribed by the government board will be allowed to operate in the state. Along with this, religious instructors in Madarsas lacking educational qualifications, who compromise children’s futures solely on religious grounds, will be regulated.
Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that this year, the number of students passing the board exams with first division has increased by 18 per cent. To alleviate exam pressure, mark improvement exams are now being conducted.
