Latest news with #RohitThakur
The Print
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Natural calamities damaged 119 schools in Mandi district's Seraj: HP minister
'I will visit the affected area, take stock of the situation, reconstruction, repairs and relocation of damaged schools would be discussed in detail, and a plan would be prepared,' Thakur told reporters here. Since the calamity, however, 90 per cent of these schools have been reopened, he said. Shimla, Jul 16 (PTI) Cloud bursts, floods, and landslides have damaged 119 schools in the Seraj Assembly constituency in Mandi district, Himachal Education Minister Rohit Thakur said on Wednesday. He said the government may hire buildings and other spaces to relocate the damaged schools. The minister said instructions have been issued that no school or college building would be constructed on the banks of rivers. Searches are still underway to trace the 27 who were washed away after 10 cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in various parts of Mandi on the night of June 30-July 1 and resulted in the deaths of 15 people, authorities said. Thakur recently attended a meeting on bolstering the education system in border and tribal areas in Ladakh, discussing such challenges as low population density, tough terrain and paucity of funds faced by north-eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya and hill states like Ladakh. There are about 850 such schools in Himachal Pradesh, he added. Issues like adoption of CBSE curriculum, training of teachers and strengthening of basic infrastructure were also discussed in that meeting, he said. PTI BPL VN VN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Deccan Herald
11-07-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
NPSI Mysuru inducts future-ready student leaders
NPS International School, Mysuru, recently held its 12th Investiture Ceremony. Chief Guest Colonel Rohit Thakur and Guest of Honour Lt Colonel Hitesh Kala inspired the gathering with messages on purposeful leadership. Principal Akhila Dinesh highlighted the value of service-driven leadership.
India Gazette
27-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Himachal leaps from 21st to 5th rank in School Education Performance index: Education Minister Rohit Thakur
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 27 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Friday hailed the state's remarkable turnaround in school education, declaring that it has reclaimed its position as a leader in educational outcomes. 'It is a matter of great pride for Himachal Pradesh that historically, from the time of Dr YS Parmar, the architect of modern Himachal, we have been known for achievements in education. Back in 1947, the literacy rate was merely 7 per cent, which rose to 83 per cent by 2011,' Thakur told reporters in Shimla. However, he acknowledged that in recent years, Himachal Pradesh had been witnessing a decline in the quality of education. 'The recent surveys conducted during the tenure of the previous government were worrying and disappointing. The National Achievement Survey conducted by the Government of India showed that in 2021, Himachal, once among the top five states, slipped to 21st position, which was a major shock for us,' he said. 'The ASER report also revealed that eighth-grade students were unable even to read or comprehend subjects of the third-grade curriculum. Similarly, in the Performance Grading Index (PGI), the state fell to 18th position, which clearly reflected the deterioration in academic performance,' Thakur said. Thakur said that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government, which came to power in December 2022, inherited a crumbling education system along with a broken economy, and it posed a dual challenge. 'I may not be an academician, but I am a hard taskmaster,' he said, adding that strict measures were implemented, and with the cooperation of officials, employees and teachers, the department accepted the challenge head-on. 'ASER Now Ranks Himachal No. 1 in Reading and Learning', he said. 'We took bold steps, and today, these reforms are showing results. The ASER report now places Himachal Pradesh at the top for reading and learning outcomes. We even surpassed Kerala. In the Performance Grading Index, Himachal has climbed back from 21st to 5th position in 2024,' he informed. 'In the recent learning outcome tests, Himachal ranked 2nd in Class 3, 4th in Class 9, and 5th overall nationally. Moving from 21st to 5th is no small feat,' he said. The minister emphasised that the education department had focused on consolidation rather than expansion and had worked efficiently with limited resources. 'We said we would consolidate our department, and within two and a half years, there have been visible achievements. We started the cluster system, brought directorates together, and filled thousands of vacant posts,' he added. Thakur revealed that 3,600 schools and institutions were functioning with just one teacher, which had adversely affected performance. 'We approved 5,800 posts in education, of which around 4,000 have already been recruited. The number of single-teacher schools has now been reduced to half,' he said. 'We also recruited 700 lecturers through the Commission, whereas the previous government managed only 500 appointments in five years,' he noted. 'To implement NEP-related directives and streamline higher education, 119 new principal posts have been filled in 136 colleges, most of which earlier had no principals,' the minister said. 'For the school cadre, no regular promotions of principals have been done since 2017. We have now regularised nearly 1,900 school principals, and the promotion process has begun,' Thakur said. He also assured that PGT and school cadre promotions would be completed within two months and that the introduction of English-medium sections and exposure visits were all part of efforts to raise educational quality. Rohit Thakur also addressed the sensitive issue of school closures and mergers, explaining the rationale behind the decisions. 'Around 450 schools had no students for nearly 12 years. We merged these schools. In some areas, like Lahaul-Spiti, there were eight teachers for just three students. Enrollment is declining, and migration is a factor,' he said. 'Where there is demand, we will deploy more teachers. But we must rationalise resources,' Thakur told ANI. He stated that reforms have now been tied to clear performance outcomes, and the responsibilities of principals, headmasters, directors, and additional directors have been redefined. 'Unless we link reforms with measurable results, they will not deliver. We are now doing exactly that,' Thakur added. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal secures 5th position in NAS survey
Jun 26, 2025 09:14 AM IST Himachal has achieved a significant milestone by securing the fifth position in the National Achievement Survey (NAS), 2025, also known as PARAKH 2025, a dramatic improvement from its 21st position in 2021. According to the survey, Himachal Pradesh ranked second at the Class 3 level, fifth at Class 6, and fourth at Class 9. (HT Photo) In significant improvement of ranking, Himachal is now fifth as against 21st position in 2021 survey conducted during the previous government. According to the survey, Himachal Pradesh ranked second at the Class 3 level, fifth at Class 6, and fourth at Class 9. 'Though lot needs to be done but we are moving in the right direction,' said education minister Rohit Thakur. 'When we came to power, Himachal Pradesh was lagging in every in terms of standards of education owing to failure of the previous BJP government to take corrective steps.' Rajesh Sharma, state project director Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan termed the state's performance in NAS 2025 as a major achievement. He stated that an official announcement regarding this ranking will be made on July 2 in Delhi, where he will represent the state.
News18
07-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Himachal: Primary teachers end hunger strike after meeting education minister
Shimla, June 7 (PTI) Primary teachers in Himachal Pradesh ended their 43-day hunger strike on Saturday after the state government assured them that their demands would be addressed. A meeting was held here with Education Minister Rohit Thakur, and a consensus was reached on around 20-21 points, following which the teachers decided to end the strike. It was also decided that the directorate of primary and higher education was to remain the same. Apart from this, the government will also reconsider the suspended teachers, Thakur said, adding that the teachers were assured that their promotions would not be hindered. On March 28, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet approved the elevation of the directorate of elementary education to the directorate of school education. This new directorate would oversee education from pre-nursery to Class 12, while the directorate of higher education would be responsible for managing colleges and addressing all aspects of higher education. Following this decision, around 10 teachers were suspended for protesting, making derogatory remarks against the government and being absent from school. Jagdish Sharma, President of the Primary Teachers' Association of Himachal Pradesh, confirmed that the strike was called off after the meeting with Thakur. Sharma further stated that a committee is likely to be constituted to form a directorate of primary and higher education governed by a single director. First Published: June 07, 2025, 19:30 IST
