Principal offers free air, rail travel to toppers

Tribune News Service

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, November 26

The principal of Government Senior Secondary School at Balag village located around 50 km from Shimla has offered incentives to students to do well in their upcoming exams.

Boost for kids

I thought of the initiative to generate a sense of competition among students and encourage them to do their best in the exams. — Sandeep Sharma, Principal

The principal, Sandeep Sharma, has offered all-expense paid air travel to the toppers of Class XI and XII, air-conditioned rail travel to the toppers to Class IX and X and a trip to Chandigarh in his own car to the toppers of Class VI, VII and VIII.

Sharma says, “I thought of the initiative to generate a sense of competition among students and encourage them to do their best in the exams.” He adds, “And ever since I have told the students about the offers, they are all excited. I have got feedback from parents that the study time of their wards has increased.”

Asked why he has offered air and rail travel as incentives to the students, Sharma says village children get excited at the opportunity of going out of their village or to the nearest town. “Not many of them have visited Shimla city yet. So a chance to visit cities like Chandigarh and Dharamsala is a big incentive for them,” he adds.

He says, “I thought of cash rewards, too, but money can be misused. So, I thought of offering them free air and rail travels, besides taking them out on a trip.”

Sharma plans to pay for flights for meritorious children from Shimla to Chandigarh or Dharamsala. As for the AC rail travel, he has selected the Kalka-Delhi Shatabdi train. He says, “It will be all-expense paid trip but the parents will have to give their consent.”

It’s not the first time that Sharma will be spending from his pocket to motivate students. A couple of years ago, he had spent Rs 10 lakh to construct a building at Government Senior Secondary School, his alma mater, at Cheog village.

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