Guwahati, Dec. 18: Those securing first division in High School Leaving Certificate examination and High Madrassa Examination in academic year 2009-10 would be given laptops from next year, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said today at the Anundoram Borooah Award presentation ceremony.

The government instituted the award in 2005 to encourage students who secured first division marks in the HSLC Examination and High Madrassa Examination.

The shift from the earlier decision to gift desktops to the successful candidates in the two examinations is aimed at encouraging students of Assam to be competitive and perform well.

Gogoi said this afternoon his government had been laying stress on education so that the youths do not go astray.

He said ever since the government started awarding computers to those passing with first division marks in the HSLC, High Madrassa and State Madarsa Education Board, their numbers have been growing along with the overall pass percentage in these examinations.

The HSLC pass percentage has seen a steady rise by 8.48 between 2005 (53.07 per cent) and 2009 (61.55 per cent).

The pass percentage in 2006 was 53.54.In 2007 and 2008 the pass percentages were 54.93 and 58.68

Addressing a packed gathering soon after his arrival from Delhi, Gogoi said the award of desktop computers had introduced an element of competitiveness among the students and laptops would provide further encouragement. The new gadget would be even more helpful given its portable nature, he said.

This year 17,362 students passed in the first division against 12,756 in 2005 when the award was first instituted and desktop computers gifted.

Health and IT minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision was a kind of “recognition” for meritorious students.

He said the award had been praised by other states that now want to start such a scheme.