Bihar Science, Technology and Technical Education Minister Sumit Kumar Singh on Monday (September 15, 2025) announced that students securing top three positions in different streams of engineering and polytechnic colleges across the state will be given laptops from next year under “Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar” (Meritorious Student Encouragement Award).
At present, the award carries a medal, certificate, memento and cash reward of ₹5,000, ₹4,000 and ₹3,000 for students securing first, second and third positions at the state level — both in engineering and polytechnic colleges.
“We should not confine the award to five streams only. Instead, we would like to give laptop to all the students securing top three positions at state level in all the streams of engineering and polytechnic. It would inculcate healthy competition among the students,” Mr. Singh said.
He was addressing a gathering of students and their parents organised to award them with “Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar 2025” given to students securing top three positions at state level in five streams.
The function was organised on the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and eminent engineer Dr. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. The day is celebrated as ‘Engineer’s Day’ meant to honour engineers for their contributions to nation building.
In order to motivate performing teachers in engineering and polytechnic colleges, they should also be honoured for their performance as teachers, Mr. Singh said while exhorting students to learn foreign languages which will help them in building their career.
Mr. Singh along with Department’s Secretary Dr. Pratima released the department’s quarterly magazine on the occasion.
Congratulating students on getting the award, Dr. Pratima said that their award would motivate others to study hard and win accolades and awards too.
Stating that emphasis is being laid on “technical education” and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) across the country because it’s a technology driven world, she said that engineers, who are technology drivers, work as facilitators to ensure “ease of living”.
“Under the able leadership of the Chief Minister, sir, now our emphasis is on improving quality technical education. We have to constantly design curriculum keeping in mind the industry requirement,” Ms. Pratima said, adding that the department is working hard to get National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accreditation and National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking for its engineering colleges apart from introducing new streams.
“Now, we have developed our portal for internship. Students of seventh and eighth semester can now register on the portal for doing internships with public sector units of the state. We will give them ₹10,000 on the completion of their internship,” she added.
Bihar Engineering University, Patna Vice Chancellor Prof Suresh Kant Verma congratulated students for their degrees and getting prizes too which is a matter of pride and honour. “Engineering is a profession of privilege to service. We expect that you will work for nation building keeping in mind the motto of nation first,” Mr. Verma said.
Speaking on the occasion, department’s Additional Secretary-cum-Director Ahmad Mahmood dwelt at length about the department’s achievements and stated that “Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar” was started in the year 2020.
It is currently given to students securing top three positions in five different streams.
