The Indian Express             14.06.2013

PCMC panel gives nod, Pimpri’s SSC topper to get Rs 1 lakh

The standing committee of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Thursday finally passed a resolution to give SSC topper Saraswati Shahaji Jadhav her prize money of Rs 1 lakh. Jadhav, who had secured 89.45 per cent in the exams, had missed out on the prize money by the fraction of a mark.

The civic body gives Rs 1 lakh prize money to students who score 90 per cent or above in Class X exams. There was pressure on the civic body from parents, teachers and activists to relax its rule for Jadhav, a student of PCMC-run Anasaheb Magar School in Pimple Saudagar.

Newsline had taken up the issue with the Municipal Commissioner on Tuesday after PCMC administration and education officials said she could not be awarded Rs 1 lakh as her marks were below 90 per cent.

At the standing committee meeting, Shiv Sena corporator Asha Shendge moved the proposal to give Jadhav the award. Also, rules for giving the award were tweaked to enable school toppers to claim awards.