AP govt expands ‘Shining Star' awards to district & mandal levels
He asked the officials to felicitate top rankers in SSC and intermediate examinations with shining star awards.
Education secretary Kona Sasidhar asked the officials to ready the awardees lists based on the merit. He asked them to consider those students who secured 500 marks and above out of 600 marks in SSC for selection in a particular mandal. While two students from OC will be picked up, one each from SC, ST, BC and minority sections will be selected for awards.
As many six students will be selected in each mandal and also three toppers in Children With Special Needs (CWsN) will also be felicitated.
The awardees will cover students from all managements both in govt and private.
In Intermediate, the students who secured 830 and above marks shall be considered for selection in a particular district in the preceding academic year covering all managements. Each awardee will be felicitated with a certificate, medal and a cash award of Rs.20,000.
In addition, three students will be given Shining Star Award for their highest score in the entire District. Each awardee will be felicitated with a certificate, medal and a cash award of Rs.
20,000. Similarly, 36 awardees will be selected from 26 districts in Intermediate education covering all managements both in govt / private junior colleges in the state from MPC, BIPC, HEC, CEC/MEC and vocational streams and in each stream consisting of SC, ST, Minority, BC, OC and children with special needs (CWsN) categories for felicitation.
School education secretary Kona Sasidhar directed the director of govt examinations and Board of Intermediate Examinations to prepare the list of the students based on the merit secured in annual public examinations. In case where multiple students have secured the same marks and percentage as specified above, all such candidates shall be considered for the awards in their respective categories, said Sasidhar.
"The students shall be selected for Shining Stars Award irrespective of the income ceiling limit. The receipt of the award amount need not be linked to other welfare scholarship amounts received by the candidate by virtue of their other social/physical disadvantages, as the main objective of the scheme is to recognize the merit and to encourage continuity in their education. All the selected candidates shall be felicitated under Shining Stars Award," said Sasidhar.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Eid wishes
,
messages
, and
quotes
!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
6 minutes ago
- Hans India
Fee Deposit and Verification for JEECUP Phase-III Allotments Begins July 22
Lucknow: The Joint Entrance Examination Council of Uttar Pradesh (JEECUP) has announced important dates for the allotment of seats in the third phase of counseling for the 2025 academic session. According to Secretary Sanjiv Kumar Singh, who said on Monday, the process of institute and course selection concluded on June 27, and the allotment results have now been published. All seats assigned in Phase III will be automatically frozen. Candidates must pay the Seat Acceptance Fee of Rs 3250 online through their login accounts from July 22 to July 24, 2025. Post fee submission, candidates must attend record verification at designated support centers across Uttar Pradesh between July 22 and July 25, no later than 6:00 PM. Singh further clarified that students admitted under Phase I, II, or III who wish to withdraw from their seats may do so on July 26, 2025, using the online facility available on the portal. The council has urged all eligible candidates to complete the required steps within the stipulated timeframe to secure their admissions and avoid cancellation. Official details, counseling guidelines, and further instructions are available exclusively on the JEECUP website: Candidates are advised to refer only to authentic sources for updates. This phase marks a critical juncture for thousands of students entering technical and professional education streams in the state, as JEECUP continues to streamline its digital counseling process for efficient and transparent admissions.
News18
14 minutes ago
- News18
Delhi govt mulling plan to install 150 outdoor air purifiers in Nehru Park
New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Nehru Park may soon become Delhi's first 'clean air zone" with 150 outdoor air purifiers. For the plan to become a reality, it needs the support of 80-90 per cent of the residents. On Sunday, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) launched a three-day survey in Nehru Park to gauge public opinion. The survey asks citizens: 'Would you like to have an air purifier in your park?" Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that as promised earlier, local residents are being involved in the decision-making process. 'The project will go ahead only if 80-90 per cent of the residents say yes. If only 20-30 per cent respond positively, we will not pursue it," Sirsa told PTI. He said the survey responses will be compiled and the data will directly inform the government's final decision on installing high-efficiency air purifiers across the 85-acre park. This initiative is specifically designed for the public, particularly walkers and joggers, and their participation is being ensured in taking the final decision, he added. The project is being billed as a pilot initiative, the first of its kind, to maintain 'good' air quality even during peak pollution periods. Sirsa said the air purifiers, which are up to 9-ft-tall and filter PM2.5 particulate matter, will be installed throughout the park. Delhi witnesses hazardous pollution levels in winter. In 2023, two smog towers were closed in Delhi after the DPCC termed them ineffective. The new initiative will be implemented in partnership with a private company, Umeandus, under corporate social responsibility. Each purifier, priced around Rs 5 lakh, will cover an area of approximately 600 square metres. Clearance from the New Delhi Municipal Council will be required for the installation of the air purifiers. PTI NSM DIV DIV (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 20:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
22 minutes ago
- India Today
'Feed them at home?' That one line has dog lovers fuming and why
A simple question - "Why don't you feed them at home?" - posed by the Supreme Court during a recent hearing has reignited an already simmering debate: Should stray dogs be fed in public spaces, or does this practice create more chaos than compassion?For dog lovers and feeders, the remark stings. While this was just an observation and not a ruling, many fear that such statements coming from the country's highest court could further deepen the existing fault lines between the animal lovers and those who perceive the strays as a isn't the problem. The system isadvertisementHarshitha Reddy, organiser of PETEX India, says the real issue is not people feeding dogs, but the systemic failure in neutering and vaccinating them. 'There's a widespread misunderstanding that feeding strays leads to their population growing. That's just not true. What's actually fuelling the increase is the lack of active spaying and neutering by civic bodies,' she says. She points out that even in cities like Bengaluru, civic authorities have gone so far as to allocate budgets, Rs 2.88 crore in this case, for feeding strays, recognising the need for compassion alongside why does feeding strays continue to be such a flashpoint?'Because for someone who's not familiar with dog behaviour, it's easy to be swayed by fear,' Reddy says. 'One attack video can override the dozens of peaceful interactions that go unnoticed.'She adds that the media and civic authorities both have a role in spreading awareness about what to do, what not to do, and why sterilisation is key. 'This isn't just an animal issue. It's a civic issue. NGOs are willing to help, but they need consistent support. The load can't be carried by animal lovers alone.'A remark, a ripple effectMeet Ashar, legal advisor and director of Cruelty Response at PETA India, stresses that the Supreme Court's recent 'feed them at home' statement wasn't part of any binding judgment. 'It was an oral remark, not a direction, not an order,' he worries, however, about the unintended impact. 'Even an offhand comment can embolden those who are already hostile towards animals. It gives them a sense of validation, 'See, even the Supreme Court said it.' That's dangerous.'But Ashar is also hopeful. 'The same Supreme Court has, on record, protected the rights of feeders. In 2022, it stayed a Bombay High Court order that penalised public feeding, clearly stating that adoption doesn't mean strays must be taken home. Feeding them in designated spots is the settled position.'He points to amendments made in the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which inserted Rule 20, officially recognising the role of feeders in helping sterilise and vaccinate dogs. 'Feeding helps humanise the dogs. Only when they're friendly can they be safely caught, neutered, and vaccinated. That's how we control population and keep rabies in check.'Beyond dog vs humanAt the heart of the issue lies a deeper question: Are we framing the debate fairly?After speaking to numerous people who have a fear of dogs, their anxiety often stems from just one thing: they may bite us, harm us, or even maul time there's a video of a dog mauling a man or child, or worse, killing someone, the debate reignites: Do these strays even deserve a place in society?And to be honest, their concerns are, to some extent, what we often forget to ask is whether the behaviour was a repercussion—was it triggered by something the victim did, or perhaps rooted in past trauma? Because, believe it or not, animals have their fair share of trauma too.'Every time there's an attack, we speak about dangerous dogs. But we rarely talk about how dogs are treated, abused, run over, left to starve,' Reddy points out. 'There's a double standard there.'advertisementAshar echoes that sentiment. 'Imagine going hungry, being kicked, and then being expected to stay friendly. No living being reacts well to mistreatment.'Both of them agree that solving this issue requires collective effort. Not just dog lovers. Not just haters. But civic bodies, RWAs, NGOs, the media, and most importantly, the next?On July 23, when the matter is taken up again in court, the petitioner's lawyer will have the opportunity to present the other side of the story. A chance to shift the conversation from "Who's feeding whom?" to "How can we manage this humanely and effectively?"Because at the end of the day, this isn't about dogs vs humans. It's about coexistence, and the kind of society we want to build.- EndsTrending Reel
