Project Prerana: Yadadri Bhuvanagiri collector personally wakes up Class 10 students for board exam prep

Telangana: A fond memory among many 90s kids is their parents waking them up early, especially during the Class 10 exams. Taking a similar approach and remembering his college days, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district collector M Hanumantha Rao stepped into the role of a mentor for students in his district with an inspiring initiative called ‘Prerana.’

What is Prerana?

As part of the initiative, the district collector personally woke up students at 5 am and encouraged them to focus on their studies on February 6, Thursday. He visited Kankanlagudem village, Sansthan Narayanapuram Mandal, where he interacted with a few Class 10 students, motivating them to work hard for their board exams.

The unique initiative by the collector is aimed at instilling discipline, motivation and confidence in students as they prepare for their crucial board exams.

“We have around 6,000 SSC students in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District. We have put them in three categories based on their merit and education. Our focus is on the 1,200 C-category students. Class 10 is a crucial period for students. We wanted to make sure they wake up every morning and study. Beginning today, the officers will be calling the students every morning to wake them up to study. Once a month, they will be visiting their homes to check if the students are waking up in the morning,” the district collector told NewsMeter.

Where did idea for Prerana come from?

Being the first of its kind in Telangana, the collector got the idea from his time in college days.

“In my college days, I used to wake up in the morning and study. I don’t see many kids waking up in the morning and studying, especially the Class 10 students. We thought we could encourage them to study and counsel parents from the villages to support their children. Each teacher will have students under them whom they will give a wake-up call every morning,” he said.

Helping hand for student

In a heartfelt gesture on Thursday, the collector personally knocked on a student’s door, woke him up and inquired about his studies. Hearing about the student’s living conditions, the collector provided a chair and a writing pad to support his education. Additionally, he assured the student of financial assistance, pledging Rs 5,000 per month until his board exam.

“Bharat (the student) is very smart. Given his living conditions, I felt he needed support for his education and health,” the collector said.

Inspired by the unexpected visit, Bharat expressed his determination, saying, “I aspire to become a police officer and will work hard to fulfil my goal. I never imagined the collector himself would visit my home. His encouragement has boosted my confidence and I am now more determined than ever to study sincerely and succeed.”

Hostel Nidra initiative

The district collector also took another initiative for the students in the hostels called Hostel Nidra.

With a total of 89 hostels in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, each hostel has been adopted by 85 higher officials including the collector to inspire the students and support them.

“These 85 officials will be visiting the hostels and interacting with the students about their studies and issues in the hostels. Once a month, the officers will stay at the hostel with the students, eat with them and sleep in the hostel. The monthly visit to the hostel will be a surprise visit,” said the collector.