The Goa government has received multiple National SKOCH Awards for its efforts in literacy, skill development, higher education, and school education. The award, given out in a ceremony in New Delhi on January 10, 2026, was further evidence of Goa's effort towards improving learning outcomes outlined in the NEP.
One of the major felicitations received was by the Directorate of Higher Education for the Converge-Shiksha Udyojak Sangam initiative, which focuses on increasing the engagement between academia and business. This education project aims to increase industrial interactions while bridging the gaps in knowledge between academia and industry.
Today, Goa has come to be declared as a completely literate state. In this, the Gold SKOCH Award has been won by the Goa State Council for Educational Research and Training for this achievement at the state level. This demonstrates unequivocally that the state has been working tirelessly to strengthen the foundation of education and ensure that every state resident is literate.
For the Mukhyamantri Shikshan Sahay Yojana, the Directorate of Education received the Silver SKOCH Award. According to this plan, qualifying students in the 10th and 12th grades who belong to the Scheduled Tribe class are paid the examination fees without regard to their income or the maximum number of attempts they may make on the board exams.
Additionally, the Chief Minister's Kaushalya Path Scheme was acknowledged by the Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The program helps students acquire practical skills in addition to academic credentials and increases their employability by integrating industry-oriented skill certification with conventional degree programs in government colleges.
"I congratulate the teams of the Directorate of Higher Education, Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, SCERT Goa, and the Directorate of Education for bringing pride to Goa by winning multiple National SKOCH Awards," Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant stated during the event. These accolades demonstrate our dedication to inclusive, skill-oriented, and future-ready education in accordance with the National Education Policy and underline our determination to use talented youth to create a Viksit Goa 2037.
