Students with their diplomas in Ranchi on Tuesday. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, May 4: The state welfare department’s plan to provide technical education to poor students of Jharkhand today bore fruit as 88 of them came out with flying colours and received their engineering diploma certificates from BIT, Mesra.

Their dreams would not have come true had the welfare department not sponsored the course fee of Rs 54,000.

“The government not only sponsored my studies, it gave wings to my dreams. Now, I can look forward to a better career and bail out my family from penury,” said Badal Kumar Mahto, the gold medalist in automobile engineering.

In 2001, BIT, Mesra, in association with the state welfare department, had set up University Polytechnic.

The state welfare department funds the education of ST, SC and OBC students. Sixty per cent of the 90 seats in diploma in automobile engineering, diploma in computer, diploma in electronics and diploma in manufacturing engineering, are reserved.

While Badal topped in automobile engineering stream, his batchmate Binod Goswami topped in electronics. Ramkishore Yadav topped in manufacturing engineering and Sushma Kumari in computers. Binod, who is a general category student, has been offered the job of lab technician at the institute.

BIT, Mesra, today organised a diploma awarding ceremony for students of 2006-09 batch, who have graduated from the institute.

State welfare secretary L. Khiangte, BIT, Mesra, vice-chancellor P.K. Barhai, tribal welfare commissioner Nilima Kerketta and Lanco Infratech head Jayant Jaipal Singh were present on the occasion.