Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto on Monday enrolled in Class 11 saying that there is no age limit to learning and education.
Mahto said he will be taking admission in the Nawadih Devi Mahto Inter School in Bokaro. The institution was set up by him a year after becoming MLA for the first time in 2005.
The 54-year-old JMM veteran, who represents Dumri constituency of Giridih, said he hoped his decision to go back to school would silence critics who had mocked his educational qualifications when he joined CM Hemant Soren’s cabinet as education minister early this year.
Hindustan Times quoted the minister as saying, “Constant criticism inspired me to re-start my pending education. Ever since I was made education minister of Jharkhand, a section of people has been aggressive on my educational qualification. Then, I decided to begin my studies again.”
The Education Minister further added that to encourage children to continue their education, a provision has been made by the state government to give prize money of Rs 3 lakh, 2 lakh and 1 lakh respectively to the first, second and third toppers respectively in each of the three streams — science, arts and commerce — of the Intermediate course.
