New Delhi: Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood distributed bicycles to Class 9 girl students at two government schools in Janakpuri on Tuesday under the Vidya Vahini Yojana, a Delhi Government initiative aimed at supporting girls pursuing secondary education. 

A total of 581 students from Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya (GSKV), A-Block, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, A-Block, received bicycles during the distribution programme. 

The scheme is aimed at making the daily journey to school more convenient for girl students while also encouraging greater independence. Under the initiative, the Delhi Government plans to provide high-quality branded bicycles to around 1.4 lakh Class 9 girls studying across the city. So far, nearly 18,000 girls have received bicycles through the ongoing distribution drives. 

Ashish Sood Says Bicycles Represent More Than Transportation 

Addressing students, parents and school officials, Ashish Sood said the significance of the initiative goes beyond simply providing a mode of transport. 

"For me, this joy is not merely that bicycles are being given to our daughters," said Ashish Sood. "My joy lies in the fact that while we perhaps could not attach wings to their dreams, we have given them wheels." 

The Minister described bicycles as a symbol of freedom, self-reliance, and independence. He said the facility would allow young girls to travel to school and nearby places without always depending on family members. 

Sood also encouraged mothers to support their daughters and help them develop the confidence to ride bicycles independently. 

Government Highlights School Infrastructure Initiatives 

During his address, Sood also spoke about various education and infrastructure measures being undertaken in Delhi government schools. 

He said steps were being taken to address traffic-related concerns and improve the safety of children travelling near Pankha Road, particularly around C-1 and Jeevan Park Som Bazaar. Approvals have also been secured for two new foot-over bridges in the area. 

The Minister highlighted the installation of 75-inch smart displays in classrooms to support ‘Experiential Learning’ under NEP 2020. These facilities are intended to help students understand concepts through videos and interactive learning tools. 

Schools have also received ICT laboratories equipped with 40 new computers, along with specialised language labs aimed at supporting the learning of regional and international languages. 

Students To Receive Innovation Grants Under DEEV Project 

The Minister also highlighted the ‘DEEV Project’, under which student teams receive a grant of ₹20,000 to work on innovative ideas and develop projects such as drones, smartwatches and apps. 

Sood further pledged to completely rebuild the 50-year-old school building during the government's current five-year tenure. 

Free Coaching And Focus On Conceptual Learning 

The Minister also referred to the Madan Mohan Malaviya Education Mission, through which students are being provided two years of free coaching at premier institutes such as Aakash and Narayana. 

The coaching covers entrance examinations including NEET, CUET, CA, ICWA, and CLAT. 

Concluding his address, Sood advised students to give greater importance to understanding concepts instead of focusing only on examination scores. He encouraged the girl students to aim high, seek admission to leading universities through CUET and work towards taking up leadership roles across different fields.