State Government is contemplating to introduce Career Aptitude Test for post matric and Career Counseling Test to plus two and college students in the State. Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal reveals it in his presidential address delivered in ‘Pratibha Samman Samaroh-2011’.

Chief Minister said that the Career Aptitude and Career Counseling has emerged the need of the hour keeping in view the vast career opportunities available to the young educated people and help them in choosing right stream to be followed in their future career pursuits. He said that with the introduction of the Career Aptitude Test and Career Counselling Tests, the young people could avail opportunity to choose the right course for advanced studies. He said that the facility could avail to the students who had passed their matriculation examination and to the students of plus two and college going students so that they were able to prepare the road map to be followed in their future endeavours. He said that such an endeavour would go a long way in development of entrepreneurship amongst the young educated people during their school and college days.

Prof. Dhumal said that that the State Government will honour the educational institutions, their principals and teachers which will achieve hundred percent results during each academic session. He reiterated the resolve of the State Government to ensure quality education to the students at their door steps wherein cooperation of the private education institutions was also being encouraged to make Himachal Pradesh a ‘Knowledge Hub’. He said that the State had succeeded in setting up of Central University, NIFT and Food Craft Institute in Kangra; NIT, Hotel Management Institute and Technical University in Hamirpur, ESI Hospital and Medical College, IIT in Mandi which would be instrumental in bringing about qualitative improvement in the education system. He said that the state was live to the educational requirements of the vulnerable sections of the society and a large number of merit scholarships were available to the students. He said that the State Government was giving scholarship worth Rs. 17.02 crore to 1,07,770 students in the State annually.

Chief Minister said that the literacy rate which was only 7 at the time of the State came into being had increased to above 90 percent and the drop out rate of the school students had also reduced to 0.1 percent which would soon be zeroed down. He said that during the earlier term of 1998-03, the State

Government has constructed 13,672 rooms providing three rooms to each of the government primary schools by spending Rs. 106 crore to achieve the objective. He said that it was the basic infrastructural facilities which had helped emerge State a role model in Education Sector in the country.

Chief Minister distributed certificates and mementoes amongst the meritorious students on the occasion.

PWD and Revenue Minister Gulab Singh Thakur, Kishan Kapoor, Industries Minister, Narender Bragta, Horticulture and Technical Education Minister, Suresh Bhardwaj, local MLA, Ganesh Dutt, Vice Chairman, HIMUDA, V.C.Pharka, Chairman, HP Board of School Education and Principal Secretary Horticulture, Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Education, B.D. Sharma, Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr. O.P. Sharma, Director of Higher Education, other senior officers and executives of Amar Ujala were present on the occasion.