Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary felicitates 168 matric, intermediate toppers

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday felicitated 168 meritorious students who secured top positions in the intermediate and matric exams this year. The students were honoured at a ceremony held in the state capital. According to officials, medals, certificates of appreciation and cash awards were presented to the toppers.

Students securing the first, second and third positions in the intermediate and matric examinations received Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Intermediate students securing fourth and fifth positions were awarded Rs 30,000 each, while those securing fourth to tenth positions in the matric exam received Rs 20,000 each. All the felicitated students were also given Rs 51,000 for purchasing laptops.

According to a statement by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), "Choudhary congratulated the students and said the ceremony would henceforth be organised within a month of the declaration of examination results to ensure timely recognition and encouragement". He said Bihar's rich educational heritage, including Nalanda and Vikramshila, was being carried forward with modern facilities. Coaching, live classes and tutoring facilities have been introduced in 700 Saraswati Vidya Niketan model schools, the CM said.

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Become job creators: CM

The chief minister also called upon youths to become job creators rather than merely job seekers, saying new opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship were being created alongside industrial development in the state. Referring to the recurring flood problem, Choudhary said long-term measures would be taken to improve the state's water-flow systems and find a permanent solution instead of relying only on relief and rescue operations. After the ceremony, the chief minister hosted lunch for the students and their parents and interacted with them about their future plans. Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari and senior officials were also present.