Bihar’s Science, Technology, and Technical Education Minister, Sumit Kumar Singh, made an exciting announcement on Monday, September 15, 2025: top-performing engineering and polytechnic students across the state will soon be receiving laptops. This new incentive will be awarded to the students securing the top three positions in various streams under the existing ‘Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar’ (Meritorious Student Encouragement Award).
Currently, the ‘Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar’ includes a medal, a certificate, a memento, and cash prizes of ₹5,000, ₹4,000, and ₹3,000 for first, second, and third place holders at the state level in both engineering and polytechnic disciplines.
Minister Singh emphasized the need to broaden the scope of the award. “We shouldn’t restrict this recognition to just five streams. Our goal is to provide laptops to all students who achieve the top three positions at the state level across every engineering and polytechnic stream. This will undoubtedly foster a spirit of healthy competition among students,” he stated.
The announcement came during the “Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar 2025” ceremony, an event held to honor students and their parents for their achievements in the five currently recognized streams. The ceremony was particularly meaningful as it coincided with ‘Engineer’s Day,’ celebrated on the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and acclaimed engineer Dr. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, commemorating engineers’ vital contributions to nation-building.
Beyond student recognition, Minister Singh also suggested that high-performing teachers in engineering and polytechnic colleges should receive similar accolades. He encouraged students to pursue learning foreign languages, highlighting how such skills can significantly enhance their career prospects. On the same occasion, Mr. Singh, alongside Department Secretary Dr. Pratima, launched the department’s quarterly magazine.
Dr. Pratima extended her congratulations to the awardees, expressing her hope that their success would inspire others to strive for academic excellence. She underscored the national focus on technical education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) fields, recognizing that we live in a technology-driven world where engineers play a crucial role in enabling “ease of living.”
“Under the visionary leadership of our Chief Minister, our current focus is on elevating the quality of technical education. We are committed to continuously updating our curriculum to meet evolving industry demands,” Ms. Pratima explained. She further noted the department’s efforts to secure National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accreditation and National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings for its engineering colleges, in addition to introducing new and relevant academic streams.
She also announced an exciting development for students: “We have launched a new portal for internships. Seventh and eighth-semester students can now register on this platform to undertake internships with public sector units within the state. Upon completion, they will receive a stipend of ₹10,000.”
Prof. Suresh Kant Verma, Vice Chancellor of Bihar Engineering University, Patna, lauded the students for their academic achievements and awards, calling it a moment of pride and honor. “Engineering is a privileged profession of service. We anticipate that you will contribute to nation-building, always upholding the motto of ‘nation first,'” Mr. Verma remarked.
Ahmad Mahmood, the department’s Additional Secretary-cum-Director, elaborated on the department’s achievements during the event, highlighting that the “Medhavi Chhatra Protsahan Puraskar” was established in 2020 and has been instrumental in recognizing talent.
Currently, this prestigious award is presented to students who secure the top three ranks in five distinct academic streams.