Tirupati / Chittoor: The State government’s prestigious Shining Stars awards will be presented to meritorious students, who secured the highest marks in the SSC and Intermediate public examinations for the academic year 2024–25. The ceremonies will take place on Monday in Tirupati and Chittoor, as part of a state-wide initiative to encourage academic excellence among students in both government and private schools.

The awards are aimed at enhancing educational standards and motivating students to strive for academic success. As per government instructions, award functions will be held simultaneously at all district headquarters across the state.

In Tirupati, the event will be hosted at the Mahati Auditorium, with in-charge Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, district Collector Dr S Venkateswar, local MLAs, and other officials attending. A total of 207 students from the district will be honoured with the Shining Star awards.

In Chittoor, the ceremony will be held at Nagaiah Kala Kshetram, with in-charge Minister M Ramprasad Reddy, district Collector Sumit Kumar, and MLAs participating. Awards will be presented to 190 SSC students and 33 Intermediate students from 31 mandals of the district.

Each awardee will receive a certificate of appreciation, a cash prize of Rs 20,000, and a medal in recognition of their academic achievement. Students have been advised to carry their ID card or Aadhaar card, study certificate, and two passport-size photographs. One parent, preferably with Aadhaar identification, must accompany the student.

According to the selection criteria, in each mandal, six top-performing SSC students were chosen—two from OC, two from BC, one from SC, and one from ST categories. For Intermediate, 36 students from the district, belonging to OC, BC, SC, ST, and Minority categories, who scored above 830 marks, have been selected for the award. Further, three students from the district with special needs will get these awards.