NEW DELHI: The year 2023 was a “mixed bag” for the Delhi education department as on the positive aspect 32 students of government schools cleared the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examination and over 100 student-led startups were showcased at the investment expo, but on the negative front, the studies were affected after an impromptu vacation was called and schools were shut owing to air pollution. Significantly, the Delhi government schools provided humanitarian relief to more than 150 students from violence-hit Manipur by enrolling and helping them overcome the crippled life.
Defence forces At the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Armed Forces Preparatory School (AFPS), the school set up by the Delhi government last year, to specially focus on the overall development of a student for getting into the armed forces, of the total of 237 students enrolled, 76 appeared in the NDA examination. Of these, 32 students, including nine girls, cleared the examination. The school is spread over 14 acres and recognised by the Delhi Board of School Education.
Business blasters About 100 student-led start-ups were selected from more than two lakh entries that competed at the Delhi government’s Business Blasters Investment Summit and Expo this year. Delhi Education Minister Atishi has announced that the students who were selected for the investment expo will be eligible for direct admissions to universities in the national capital.
Toxic air Schools in the city were directed to suspend the classes physically, barring the students of classes X and XII for 10 days from November 9 to November 18 as the air pollution spiked due to various reasons including climatic conditions, stubble burning and low wind speed and reached “severe” category. The classes that were suspended were counted as a part of the winter vacation, while the 15- day winter break which usually begins on January 1, was truncated by seven days.
Manipur students The government schools extended a helping hand to students from Manipur, who were displaced by ethnic violence and moved to the national capital, by easing the admission process for them. Around 150 students from the northeastern state took admissions in Delhi schools in the last year on the basis of mark sheets issued by the Manipur School Board or the Central Board of Secondary Education.
