Himachal Pradesh has made big strides in Education over the years in terms of substantial improvements in the literacy level, universal access and equity through a sound network of educational intuitions. Net enrolments ratio in respect of Elementary Education has almost reached 100 and the State is poised to achieve universal access to Secondary Education by 2017 as per the target.
The present Government endeavors to provide quality elementary education to all children of 6 to 14 age group in the State. For this purpose new primary schools have been opened and the existing schools upgraded. The Government is committed to fill up the vacant posts to teachers in the elementary schools and recruitments for various categories of teachers in Education Department have been done.
Going back in 1948, there were only one College, 9 high schools and 52 middle schools in the State and today, the governmental educational institutions have crossed a figure of 15000 including 116 colleges providing educational facilities to the children nearer to their door steps upto remotest area of the State.
During last four years more than 1010 schools have either been opened or ugraded. As many as 4511 posts of different categories have been created for the newly upgraded schools. The number of colleges have reached to 116 in the State after opening 38 new colleges and taking over 4 colleges during present regime of State Government. A provision of Rs. 5 crore has been made in the budget for each new college besides creation of 117 posts of different categories.
More than 3500 posts of teachers were filled up through fresh appointments alone in Education Department during last four years which includes 233 Assistant Professors, 2681 PGT. 9517 teaching and non teaching staff were given promotions besides regularising 2609 teachers and non teaching staff in higher education.
The State Government has taken up the services of PTA teachers who had completed 7 years service tenure on contract basis including 1521 PGT, 190 DPE and 61 Assistant Professors besides taking over the services of 15 Assistant Professros and five Clerks.
To make the learning activities more entertaining, the meritorius students of 10th and Plus two classes are provided Laptops under 'Rajeev Gandhi Digital Scheme' and 10000 students were provided Laptops during 2015-16 by spending 17.03 crore.
The Government is providing free travel facility to all the students studying in government schools right from Ist to 12th Standard for attending school and back to home in Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses. The Scheme had been implemented from April, 2013 and the facility has also been extended to the students of Central Schools.
The State Government has started various scholorships schemes to benefit the students from all sections of the society to continue their studies and Rs. 213.21 crore had been spent on various scholorships during last four years benefiting 414480 students.
In order to ensure quality in education, 615 Senior Secondary, 835 High Schools, 70 news upgraded and five Smart Schools are imparting education through Information, Communication and Technology Phase-II where the computers are the main players.
The State Government is providing free school uniforms under 'Mahatma Gandhi Uniform Scheme' besides providing two sets of uniforms free of cost to all the students of Plus one and Plus two students under 'Mukhya Mantri Vardi Yojna" and 1,78,334 students were benefited this year.
National Service Scheme (NSS) has been functioning in 716 schools in the State wherein 70532 students were enrolled last year. These volunteers have been organizing blood donation camps, cleanliness drive and other social actitivities aimed at generating awareness amongt masses. Likewise Scout and Guide scheme has been implemented in 1509 schools and 38 colleges in the State.
The State Government has announced 'Mukhya Mantri Shikhshak Samman Yojna' under which the teachers giving cent percent results in Maths, Science and English continuously since last years would be given extension in service for one year.
With these initiatives and untiring efforts of the State Government, the State has received 'State of the State" award among the big category States of the country.