With over 300 million K-12 students in India, for talented students from low-income and minority households there is a need for differentiated and inclusive learning opportunities. Sitare Foundation, a bootstrapped pan India educational NGO, that strives to transform the lives of underprivileged children by empowering them with education, today announced the results of its 2022 annual entrance exams. The foundation has selected about 100 students out of the 73,000 applications received during the entrance exams conducted in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal and Indore.
Majority of these selected students are from government schools and their families earn less than Rs. 25,000 a month. For selection in the foundation’s program, children have to undergo an extremely comprehensive evaluation process which includes an entrance exam, followed by a two-week educational camp to test children’s in-class performance, and a thorough background check.
Led by philanthropist couple Shilpa and Amit Singhal, Sitare Foundation strives to provide high quality education for underprivileged children from impoverished background. Since its inception, the foundation has been constantly working towards identifying and uplifting talented students especially from financially backward and marginalized sections of the society. Five students from the foundation’s first batch have secured multiple admissions to prestigious US universities.
Dr. Amit Singhal, Founder, Sitare Foundation said, “Bright students are born in all socio-economic backgrounds. We need to provide educational opportunities to the bright minds born in underprivileged backgrounds as education is the only reliable way out of poverty and can transform the broader society. We at Sitare Foundation, firmly believe that education has the power to not only uplift individuals, but also an entire village, an entire community, and an entire country. Our vision is to provide bright children with high quality education and, through education, grow them into world-class leaders of tomorrow.”
Shilpa Singhal Founder, Sitare Foundation said, “This year’s entrance exams have been a monumental success for us as the large number of aspirants reflect the trust and belief the community has placed in our commitment. Our work at the Sitare Foundation is slowly spreading across the nation and we hope that more and more deserving children can be a part of our dream. Our scientific, step-by-step approach is not merely impacting the lives of these young children but is also having a great effect on the society at large.”
Apart from the academic aspect, the foundation also lays a major emphasis of building the social, emotional, and language capabilities of the students that are enrolled under its banner. This not only helps to prepare the students for a successful future as a world class professional, but also helps them to build their overall confidence.
With over four hundred students currently enrolled in its program, Sitare Foundation is successfully moving towards its mission to “transform 50,000 lives through education by 2050”. The foundation firmly believes that after undergoing their seven-year program, Sitare scholars will shine like stars, and inspire millions in their own communities.