Ranchi, Dec. 16: More than 250 meritorious students were awarded gift cheques for scoring 90 per cent and above marks in English, mathematics and science.

It was a kind of encouragement for the students, who have excelled in studies, on the occasion of ?Mother Teresa Meritorious Award? ceremony at Oxford Public School here today.

The awardees received a gift cheque of Rs 753 for three subjects, Rs 502 for two subjects and Rs 251 for one subject.

Likewise, special awards were given to three students ? Manisha Kumari of Class IX, Vipul Tapan Lakra of Class I and Premshila Bara of Class V ? for their excellence in academics, cent per cent attendance, punctuality, behaviour and performance in various competitive activities throughout the academic year. They got gift cheques of Rs 1,001, Rs 701 and Rs 501, respectively.

The school also gave away ?Mother Teresa Meritorious Scholarship? of Rs 5,001 to 11 students who scored 90 per cent and above marks in board examination and Rs 3,001 to those who have secured between 88 and 90 per cent in the examination.

S.B.P. Mehta, principal of the school, said the award is given for the past 10 years so that the students work hard and excel in their studies. ?It also develops competitive feeling among the students and also provides economic assistance to those students who are from disadvantaged background,? he added.

Manisha Kumari of Class IX, who got a gift cheque of Rs 1,001, said: ?I was chosen for the special award for securing 92 per cent marks in science, 90 per cent in English and 91 per cent in mathematics. I am very happy to receive this award and the money will be utilised for purchasing books.?

Another student, Nikhil Ambashtha, who received the ?Mother Teresa Meritorious Scholarship? in the form of gift cheque of Rs 5,001 for scoring above 90 per cent in Class X examination, said: ?As I am preparing for the medical examination hence the money, which I have received, will be used for buying the competitive examination books.?

M.K. Sinha, one of the class teachers of Class X, said these students are very competitive and excel in all fields. ?They possess enough talent to take part in all kinds of events,? he said.

Even parents were happy with the fact that their wards were getting prizes. One such parent S. N Prasad, whose daughter studies in Class I, said: ?I am very proud of my daughter who got a gift cheque of Rs 251.?