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The Social Justice Ministry honoured 1,490 SC/ST students at the Dr Ambedkar National Merit Awards 2025, with cash prizes up to Rs 60,000 for excellence in Class 10 and 12 boards.
Students felicitated at the Dr Ambedkar National Merit Awards ceremony (Image: PIB)
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Tuesday honoured 1,490 Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students for their outstanding performance in Class 10 and 12 board examinations conducted by 29 state and central boards in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
The Dr Ambedkar National Merit Award Ceremony 2025 was organised in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Virendra Kumar. The award has been instituted by the Dr Ambedkar Foundation, of which Kumar is also the chairman.
Congratulating the awardees, Kumar said education was central to Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar’s vision of social transformation. “Babasaheb gave the oppressed communities the strength to rise through knowledge. The government remains committed to empowering Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other disadvantaged groups through scholarships, fellowships and targeted welfare schemes,” he said.
For the 2021-22 academic session, 367 Class 10 students and 563 Class 12 students received the awards, including 71 toppers. In 2022-23, 198 Class 10 students and 362 Class 12 students were honoured, with 46 toppers recognised.
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Each student was given a one-time cash prize: Rs 60,000 for the first position, Rs 50,000 for the second, and Rs 40,000 for the third. A special prize of Rs 60,000 was also awarded to the highest-scoring girl student where no girl featured among the top three.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale and B L Verma also addressed the gathering. They praised the achievers and urged them to uphold the values of equality, fraternity, dignity, and social justice.
“These young achievers are torchbearers of Babasaheb’s ideals. Education is the true instrument of empowerment,” Athawale said.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in …Read More
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in … Read More
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