Unrolling a host of initiatives for the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) functional throughout the State, the Government has decided to equip the schools with seamless internet connection. The Department of School Education and literacy is working extensively on this plan in the direction of bridging the information technology divide.

Inputs coming out suggest that the Department along with other facilities would be in a position to install Wi-Fi routers in all the KGBV schools by the end of this year. “We have reached to a stage where the Government can now go ahead with its plan to develop all the KGBVs as Wi-Fi campuses by the end of 2015. Necessary steps have been taken into that direction,” said Secretary of the Department Aradhana Patnaik.

The step can be considered significant and consistent with the exercise to spread computer literacy among the school girls. There are 203 KGBVs functional across the state and the Government in order to extend ‘Digital India’ framework in Jharkhand has provided PC tablets to the students.

This apart, career counseling programme has also been started in two KGBVs to start with. “The plan is in place to further extend the career counseling programmes in all the districts the career counseling programme ‘Akansha’ has been launched in two KGBV schools of Ranchi.  For the first time students of Class XI and XII of KGBV in the state capital will receive the counselling and guidance for preparations of entrance and competitive examinations from various experts,” added the Secretary. Jharkhand is the only state in the country to have Class XI and XII in KGBVs while all the other states offer classes only up to Class X.

Citing details about the career counseling, District Education Officer, Jayant Kumar Mishra said, “All the girls studying in school will be given career counselling orientation. Firstly, girls will be tested on psychological ground and accordingly they will be further tested on their interest, scope in respective field and then accordingly they will be guided by the experts.”

“Experts will guide the girls on both regular and vocational courses. Experts will mainly deal with computer application, banking, railway, staff selection commission, nursing and health services, engineering, tour and travel, civil and state public commission and other courses,” added Mishra.

The first phase of the career and counselling programme was launched in KGBV Namkum and KGBV Bundu block.

“The KGBV students were demanding career counselling and guidance since long so that they can get to know about better career options. We have collaborated with few institutions like National Institute of Banking and Management (NIBM) and accordingly we will provide expert guidance to students as required in the future,” said Aradhana Patnaik

She informed further that students would be divided into groups according to the career option they want to pursue and will assemble on weekends for guidance. “We have also appointed computer experts to guide and train students, so that they can become technically sound and well versed with the computer operation and handling,” added Patnaik.

Presently, in 203 KGBV approximately 40 thousands students are studying in all the districts of the state. “We have many candidates studying in KGBV who are basically dropouts and have been rescued from either child trafficking or bonded labourers, hence it was important for the candidates to receive career guidance as most of them are unaware and confused about the career option available,” said Patnaik.

In its last meeting, the Cabinet had decided that the State Government will open new KGBV on its own covering remaining blocks, 57 in total at present, which were left out by the Center.