Union minister inaugurates new Kendriya Vidhyalaya in J-K’s Kathua

Jammu, Nov 16 (PTI) Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday inaugurated the newly-sanctioned Kendriya Vidyalaya at Ramkot in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district and said the school would promote education in the area.

The minister of state in the PMO called upon the faculty to avail a number of schemes being pushed by the Centre to promote, identify and encourage potential innovators and startups among school children.

"The establishment of the Kendriya Vidhyalaya will give a boost to education and provide uninterrupted quality education to the children of local residents, apart from the wards of security personnel posted in Ramkot," the minister said in his address after the inauguration of the school in his native constituency.

As many as 200 students have already enrolled for 2025-26 academic session at the Kendriya Vidhyalaya (KV), Ramkot for classes one to five, with 40 students in each class.

The KV Ramkot is presently housed in a temporary accommodation in the premises of Government Model Higher Secondary School, Ramkot.

Singh urged the audience, particularly parents of students aged between 10 and 17 years, to avail the Department of Science and Technology scholarships and grant schemes like INSPIRE-MANAK under which financial support of Rs 10,000 is awarded to each selected student to promote innovation and creative thinking, and identify talented students.

The minister also urged them to avail benefits under the INSPIRE Scholarship (SHE) of Department of Science and Technology for meritorious students aged between 17 and 22 years, under which Rs 60,000 per year -- including Rs 20,000 in mentorship grant -- is provided, to encourage undergraduate and postgraduate students to adopt careers in basic sciences and research.

Singh also mentioned the Vigyan Jyoti Scheme for girls of classes 11 and 12, under which mentoring for higher studies and careers in science and technology is provided by the Centre to encourage girl students, especially in under-represented areas, to pursue education and careers in science, he said. PTI TAS ARB ARB