Himachal Pradesh inks MoU with Unacademy to prepare students for competitive exams

The Himachal Pradesh government has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with online learning platform Unacademy to identify meritorious students from the state and prepare them for competitive exams.

A pilot project under the MoU will begin in the state’s Hamirpur district soon, a press communique from Unacademy stated.

According to the MoU, the directorate of higher education (DHE) of Himachal Pradesh and Unacademy will conduct two aptitude tests in two years to identify 650 meritorious students and award them with Unacademy scholarships to undergo coaching for competitive exams.

Out of the 650 meritorious students, 500 girl students from Hamirpur will receive free scholarships under Unacademy’s Shikshodaya programme, a national campaign to empower 5 lakh girls in India through quality education.

Speaking on the occasion, Anurag Thakur, the Union minister of information & broadcasting and youth affairs & sports, said, “Leveraging technology in education has the potential to transform learning and change the lives of every learner. I am sure that the engagement with Unacademy will be one-of-its-kind, which will not only educate and empower youngsters of Hamirpur but also benefit the entire state of Himachal Pradesh.”

Under Unacademy's Shikshodaya programme, girls of Hamirpur will get equal opportunities to learn from the best educators to prepare for coveted career opportunities, he added.

Gaurav Munjal, co-founder and CEO of the Unacademy Group, said, “Unacademy is committed to the vision of democratising access to quality education across geographic barriers. Through this partnership, we will not only empower the youth of Himachal Pradesh but also provide a platform for the girls of Hamirpur to prepare for and crack competitive exams. We are delighted to partner with the government of Himachal Pradesh and look forward to working closely with them.”