Himachal Pradesh education minister Rohit Thakur said on Sunday that the schools in the state were setting high standards of education. The minister added that 100 students in every constituency would now get a scholarship for coaching of competitive exams. The test for the scholarship would be held on May 1. The minister was speaking as a chief guest at the launch of “Mere Shehar Ke 100 Ratan” scholarship. The financial assistance is aimed at covering the coaching fee for competitive exams of underprivileged students. Thakur pointed out that the literacy rate of the state at the time of Independence was around 8%, which has risen now to over 88%, making it one of the best in the education sector with second-highest literacy rate in the country. He said that the rise in the field of education could be attributed to the high standards and excellence of the state’s government schools.. Under the scholarship, coaching would provided for competitive exams, such as civil services, SSC, railways and banking exams. Terming the launch a noble initiative, he said that the scholarship would greatly benefit the meritorious and talented students who could not afford to pay the fees of coaching institutions.