EDUCATION

•The Department was renamed from Education Department to Human Resource Development Department during 2004-05.

The State Government is committed to make Sikkim a 100% literate state by 2015 and development of educational infrastructure is in tune with this policy.

• There are a total of 783 State Government Schools, with 503 Primary Schools, 146 Junior High Schools, 93 Secondary Schools and 41 Senior Secondary Schools.

•Pre-primary sections are attached to all the State Government schools to prepare the children to enter into the school system.

	Sikkim Manipal Institution of Technology, Mazitar

•The total enrolment during 2005-06 in the State Government schools was 1,32,414 (including pre-primary sections) with 65,080 boys and 67,334 girls.

•There are 7 Central Government Schools with a total enrolment of 1862 students.

•341 private schools are functioning throughout the State with a total enrolment of 32,264.

•The total enrolment of students during 2005-06 'in all the category of schools was 1,72.0 students with 87,315 boys enrolment and 84,733 girls enrolment.

•Training and education of teachers has been the priority activity of the State Government

•A District Institution of Education and Training (DIET) is functioning at Gangtok.

•Two more DIETs are sanctioned for South and West Districts.

•Besides providing orientation courses to the in-service teachers, DIET is also conducting 2 year pre-service training since 2003. Over 100 candidates have already completed the pre-service training and 31 candidates are expected to complete the course by June 2007.

• There are 12 Sanskrit pathsalas, 70 Monastic schools and 7 Islamic schools in the state.

• One Sanskrit Mahavidhyalaya is functioning at Gyalzing, West Sikkim.

• Construction of one Sanskrit Mahavidhyalaya is in progress at Samdong, East Sikkim from 2006.

• 69 candidates who have successfully completed the pre-service training at DIET have been employed.

• The State Institute of Education (SIE) imparts specialized training in the teaching of English, Maths, Science Subjects and Environmental Science.

• SIE is being upgraded to State Council of Education, Research and Training (SCERT) in tune with the National Policy on Education, 1986.

• To bridge the gap of untrained teachers at the Primary level, 6 months' Certificate Course in Primary Education (CPE) has been introduced since 2003 in collaboration with IGNOU. 1589 Teachers have been enrolled for the course.

• Similarly 807 untrained Graduate and Post Graduate teachers have been enrolled for 2 years' B.Ed. Courses under distant education programme of IGN0U.

• 19 in-service Teachers have completed Post Graduate Course in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from Sikkim Manipal institutes of Technology Majitar Sikkim in May2006.

• Gurung, Mukhia, Newari, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang Languages have been recognized by the State and taught upto primary level.

• Besides the above languages, Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha and Limboo are taught upto class XII since 1993 and at the College level since 2000.

• There are 821 Primary Teachers, 159 Head Teachers Teachers (Graduate teachers) and 37 Sr. Head Teachers (PGTs) posted in various schools and colleges for teaching of State recognized local languages

•To affect complete fairness in the evaluation of answer scripts the technique of coding and decoding of students' name and roll number for the class VIII Board Examination has been introduced since 2003.

•System of Centralized question papers for class IV,V,VI,VII and IX have been introduced from 2004 to maintain uniformity in delivery of quality education.

•Merit Scholarship Scheme has been introduced from 2002. Three students from each of the 9 Sub-divisions of the State are selected annually for the award of merit scholarship.

•Prerna Scholarship Scheme for girl students started from 2003. Over 50 girl students are selected annually for the Prerna Scholarship

•National Talent Search Scheme has also been started in the State. 2 students have qualified and selected for the award of the National Level Scholarship under the National Talent Search Scheme.

•No tuition fee is charged in the State Government Schools

•Free textbook and exercise books are made available to the students upto Class - V. Text Books are supplied at 50% subsidized cost from Class VI to XII.

•Budged pullovers are provided free of cost every two years to students up to Class V in cold climatic areas.

•Free cooked meal distribution upto class V under Mid Day Meal Programme has been started from 2001.

•Retirement age of teaching staff raised from 58 years to 60 years from 2006.

•2 vocational courses at the 10+2 stage in each of the 40 Sr. Secondary Schools started from 2004 with choices from the following courses:

i) Horticulture

ii) Dairy

iii) I. T. Application

iv) Hotel Management & Catering

v) Automobile Engineering

vi) Office Secretary ship

vii) Travels and Tourism Management

viii) Poultry Farming

•Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) introduced from the year 2001. Over 40 New Primary Schools established under SSA. 37 Primary Schools upgraded to Junior High Schools under SSA. 37 Education Guarantee Scheme ( EGS) centres established under SSA. Computer education introduced in 40 Jr. High School under SSA.

Dr. Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister inaugurating the Sanskrit Pathshala

• Growth rate of female literacy has been higher than those of boys in Sikkim as evident from 2001 Census.

• Besides Government College at Tadong and Namchi and Law College at Gangtok, Arts College at Rhenock, East Sikkim has been made functional from the academic session 2006-07.

• Establishment of Arts College at Mangan, North Sikkim, Arts College at Gyalzing, West Sikkim and Science College at Soreng, West Sikkim has been approved by the Government in February 2004.

• Grant of scholarship to students pursuing Ph.D research work on Sikkim introduced from 2004-05.

• Scheme of award of scholarship/stipend to students pursuing higher studies outside the State still continuing. 1441 students awarded scholarship/stipend since 1995 to 2006 under the scheme.

• Directorate of Technical Education started in 1998.

• Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC) at Bardang, East Sikkim and Centre of Computers and Communication Technology (CCCT) at Chisopani, South Sikkim established for imparting Technical Education under the assistance from the World Bank.

• Computer Education introduced in 29 Sr. Secondary Schools.

• LL M course has been introduced in Sikkim Law College at Gangtok.

• Honours courses in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Zoology have been introduced in Govt College, Tadong.

• An additional block (building) has been constructed for the Government Degree College, Tadong, in addition to 74 School buildings. 10 School buildings are under construction.

• Construction of 53 School buildings and 72 toilets completed under PMGY. 4 School buildings and 1 toilet are under construction .

• Construction of Government Degree College at Namchi and 189 School buildings completed under NLCPR.

• 16 School building constructed under BADP. 7 School buildings are under construction.

• 9 School building construction completed under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) VIII scheme of NABARD. 2 school buildings are under construction,

• Development of 100 play grounds in various Schools completed under NEC. Construction of 13 School buildings under progress. Supply of furniture to 426 Schools is being taken up.

• 16 School buildings under construction from Funds received under RIDF IX.

• Construction of 11 school buildings under progress under RIDF X.

• 5 School buildings under construction under RIDF XI

• Construction of 14 School buildings and development of 6 playgrounds in different schools completed under MP LAD programme. Construction of 14 school buildings, vertical extension of 2 school buildings and development of playgrounds of 3 schools are under progress.

• Construction of 10 School buildings and Sanskrit Mahavidalaya taken up under RSVY.

• OBC residential school is under construction at Kamrang, South Sikkim.

• Foreign Language Training for capacity building for unemployed youth in English, Tibetan, Chinese, French, German, Thai and Japanese started from 2006.

Government Degree College, Kamrang