Chhattisgarh mulls general promotion for school students

Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, Mar 27 (UNI) School education is the main casualty of Naxalite violence in south Bastar in Chhattisgarh and the government is considering to grant general promotion to primary and middle school students this year.

Nearly 300 schools remained non-functional this academic year in four development blocks of Dantewada district due to increased hostilities between the security forces and CPI(Maoist) cadre following the anti-Naxal movement 'Salwa Judum' launched in June last year.

''A proposal has been sent to the state government to grant general promotion to about 10,817 students enrolled in first to seventh standards in Bijapur, Konta, Bhairamgarh and Usur blocks'', Dantewada District Collector K R Pisda said.

Of the total 869 primary schools in these four blocks, 223 primary schools and 23 of the total 166 middle schools remained closed. Besides, all 43 'Ashram schools' (residential schools) run by the Tribal Welfare department have been closed down.

Due to the volatile situation, Mr Pisda said, 18 centres for eighth class examination being conducted by the district board had been changed. Arrangements are being made for the students to appear in 8th, 10th and 12th class board examinations, he added.

Another proposal had been sent to the state government to grant special relaxation to the youth from Naxalite-affected areas in government jobs, in addition to age relaxation already granted, the Collector said.

Sources in the Tribal Welfare department said Naxalites had mainly targeted the 'Ashram' schools as security forces deployed for anti-Naxalite operations had converted the schools into police camps. Majority of such schools had already been damaged or blown up by Naxalites, the sources said.

Besides district police, jawans of the Chhattisgarh Special Armed Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Nagaland Police and other para-military forces, have been deployed in south Bastar. Jawans of the elite National Security Guard(NSG) had been deployed after upsurge in violence in the area.

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