New Delhi: Schools in Delhi went past several milestones in 2023, with 32 students bagging seats at the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) and the “Business Blasters Investment Expo”, where more than 100 startups led by students presented business ideas to investors.
However, the deteriorating air quality of the national capital after the Diwali festivities also posed challenges to the students when an impromptu vacation was called and educational institutes were shut for 10 days.
The schools run by the Delhi government also played a crucial role in 2023, as more than 150 students from violence-hit Manipur enrolled in these institutes and efforts were made to help them lead a normal life.
On September 27, the Delhi government’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh Armed Forces Preparatory School (AFPS) achieved a feat as 32 students, including nine girls, cleared the NDA exam -- among the highest in the country so far.
A total of 237 students are enrolled in the school and 76 students of Class 12 appeared in the NDA exam.
The school, established by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government last year, focuses on the overall development of a student for being an armed forces officer. The AFPS campus is spread over 14 acres and the school is recognised by the Delhi Board of School Education.
Apart from the achievements of the AFPS, the “Business Blasters” programme of city government schools accomplished a remarkable milestone in April, when Delhi minister Atishi announced that the students who were selected for the project’s investment expo
will be eligible for direct admissions to top universities in the capital.
About 100 startups were selected from more than two lakh entries of students who competed at the Delhi government’s Business Blasters Investment Summit and Expo
this year.