Around 24,000 students who were earlier studying in private schools have enrolled in government schools in Himachal Pradesh during the current academic year, according to the state government. The change comes after the government introduced the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum in government schools across the state, a move it says is aimed at improving the quality of public education.Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu shared the figures while addressing a public function at Nagrota Bagwan on Monday. He said students have taken admission in nearly 150 government schools and described the increase in enrollment as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the government school system.
The government envisages new changes in school education
The Chief Minister said that the state government is implementing a number of reforms in the education sector and expects government schools to undergo significant changes in the next two to four years.He said adoption of CBSE curriculum is one of the key steps to improve academic standards in government schools. The government has argued that the curriculum change, along with other reforms, aims to make public schools more competitive and improve learning outcomes.The state government, however, did not provide a year-on-year comparison of enrollment figures or detailed data explaining the increase in admissions.
Planned expansion postgraduate medical training
Apart from school education, the government also announced measures to expand medical education in the state.According to the government, around 330 new postgraduate seats have been proposed in government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh. Of these, 100 places have been planned for Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda.The government said the proposal aims to increase the number of trained specialist doctors in the state and improve the availability of health services.
Improvement of the medical infrastructure on the way
The Chief Minister said that the state is also improving medical infrastructure in government hospitals and medical colleges. Advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment is being installed in various institutions including RPGMC, Tanda.He said that Himachal Pradesh has introduced robotic surgery in the healthcare sector of the government. According to the government, 3 Tesla MRI scanners are being installed in all government medical colleges, with the facilities already operational at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla and Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties (AIMSS), Chamiyana.District and regional hospitals are also being equipped with 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners, PET scanners, CT scanners and cancer treatment equipment. The government said outdated medical equipment is being replaced as part of the ongoing upgrade.
Announcements made during Visit to Nagrota Bagwan
The announcements were made during Sukhu’s visit to Nagrota Bagwan, where he reviewed development work in the region. The government said the initiatives in education and health are part of its wider plan to improve public services across the state.The enrollment figures and reform announcements come at a time when several states are focusing on strengthening government schools and expanding health infrastructure through greater public investment.