Jharsuguda, Aug 17 [UDN}: Jharsuguda district has been scripting a remarkable success story in the field of school education. For the past three years, students from government and aided high schools have consistently secured the top positions in the district in the Matriculation examinations. Although competing with students from private schools and securing the district’s top position is not an easy task, Jharsuguda has made it possible. Behind this achievement is the innovative supplementary learning programme ‘Unmesh’, launched by the Education Department.
The programme has been specially designed for meritorious students of Jharsuguda district who are preparing for the Matriculation examination. No other district in Odisha has a similar programme. The district Education Department and administration designed the programme in their own unique way, and its continued success has made it a model worthy of emulation by other districts.
The supplementary learning programme was introduced in Jharsuguda in 2024. Developed entirely according to the district’s own requirements, the programme has helped students achieve remarkable success. It targets the best Class X students in the district who aspire to secure an A1 grade.
In 2024, the first year of the programme, 50 meritorious students from across the district were selected through a screening test. They were provided training by some of the best teachers through three three-day training camps held in different phases during the year.
That year, a total of 20 students from the district secured A1 grades in the Class X examination, of whom nine were from government and aided high schools. While private-school students had traditionally secured the highest marks in the district, that year a government-school student, Bimal Dehuri of Muralipali High School in Lakhanpur Block, surpassed students from private schools and emerged as the district topper.
Similarly, in 2025, 100 students were selected for the ‘Unmesh’ programme. With the support of TRL, they were accommodated at the Jubilee Hall in Belpahar and provided training in three phases, with each phase lasting three days, as in the previous year.
That year, 33 students from the district secured A1 grades, of whom 25 were from government schools. Madhusmita Dalai, a student of the government-run Ekatali High School, secured the highest marks in the district and topped the list.
Likewise, in 2026, 100 students preparing to appear for the Matriculation examination were selected for the ‘Unmesh’ programme. That year, 78 students from the district secured A1 grades, including 53 students from government and aided schools. Government-school student Niman Pradhan of Ekatali High School jointly secured the highest marks with a student from a private school and claimed the top position in the district.
Based on the success achieved in previous years, the number of students selected for the ‘Unmesh’ programme has now been increased to 200. Their training camp is currently underway at the TRL Jubilee Hall.
‘Unmesh’ — A Successful Model Worth Emulating
If the district’s performance is assessed on the basis of Class X board examination results and pass percentages, Jharsuguda ranked fifth in the state in 2024, third in 2025 and fourth in 2026.
When the proportion of students securing A1 grades is assessed in relation to the total number of students appearing for the examination, Jharsuguda has continued to maintain its position among the best-performing districts in the state. The achievement is considered highly encouraging.
District Education Officer Radhakanta Gadatia expressed happiness over the district’s performance in school education. He said that initiatives such as ‘Unmesh’ had contributed significantly to the positive results. However, he credited the achievement to the collective efforts of teachers, parents, students, the district administration, the Education Department and the organisations extending their support.
According to Gadatia, the programme has created a competitive environment among ambitious students, encouraging them to devote greater attention to their studies and prepare more seriously for the Matriculation examination. As a result, the district has continued to write a success story in school education.
It may be noted that according to the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) 2023-24, Jharsuguda was recognised as one of the country’s best-performing districts. While states and regions such as Chandigarh, Punjab, Gujarat and Delhi recorded strong performances, Jharsuguda also featured prominently in the list.
Expressing happiness over the district’s achievement at the national level, then District Collector Aboli Sunil Naravane had described the recognition as a matter of pride for Jharsuguda.
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