India is a land of visionaries.
One such visionary Late Shri Rajeev Gandhi, former Prime Minister
of India while flying in infinite sky witnessed not only the various
landscapes and georesources but also the people living in remote corners
of this vast nation. His conviction was that this country having divergent
races and regions has potential to grow and become number one in every
field in the world and to achieve this position, the younger generation
needs quality education. In order to achieve this goal, a scheme of
establishing JNVs was envisaged way back in 1986.
2. The other salient features of the vision of the then Prime Minister
was that he had seen India very comprehensively. After witnessing
this country from the heights of the sky, he came to the conclusion
that talented younger generation is not confined only to the cosmo
politan cities like Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta. Any child born in
any community in any of the plains or hilly areas could be intelligent.
In order to tap this rural talent, it was resolved to set up one such
Vidyalaya on an average in each of the district in rural remote areas
throughout the length and breadth of the country.
3. The scheme was successfully launched in 1986. As on today, a network
of around 525 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas is functional in 33 States
and U.Ts. In the formative years of the scheme, the planners and the
executives were skeptic about the sustainability of the programme,
but it is a reality now and has become a role model for the other
nations in the world. Liberal financial support and timely funding
to the schools is an indication of irrevocable commitment on the part
of the Govt. Annual budget of each Vidyalaya is around one crore rupees
which is likely to increase in future. The scale and dimension of
the scheme, to help rural talented students consisting of atleast
33% girls, is unprecedented in the entire world.
4. After passing out Senior Secondary stage from these residential
co-educational schools, a large number of Navodaya students have joined
envious professions like Engineering, Medical Sciences, Defence and
Education in various capacities. In addition to imparting quality
education to the rural talented children, Navodaya Vidyalaya scheme
successfully strengthened ties of national integration from one corner
to another corner. Migration scheme being implemented through Navodayas,
brought home among the younger generation that inspite of divergent
languages, caste, creed etc., India is culturally one.
5. With the establishment of these schools in the rural background
countryside dark corners have been illuminated, roads are constructed
and network of communication is upgraded.
6. The Scheme has covered the most remote locations in the hilly States
such as J & K, Himachal, North Eastern States to provide opportunity
to the students who were otherwise not in a position to move out of
the gorges of the high mountains.
7. These school starts from class VI and students are admitted through
a selection test. Around 500 students from the district where-ever
it is established have been studying and staying together in a very
conducive educational ambiance in the Vidyalaya. The organization
has provided latest IT facilities to all the JNVs.
8. Navodaya product has started emerging as competent and effective
professionals and good citizens. I am sure, in the time to come, it
will contribute its best to the development of nation and help India
to come up as a leader for other countries of the world.
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