Sai Manogna from Andhra Pradesh, who is among the 14 all-India topper in JEE Main exam 2025.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh on Thursday (February 13, 2025) observed that to reach great heights in life, one must work hard. “There is no substitute for hard work,” he emphasised, interacting with the JEE (Mains)- 2025 topper Sai Manogna.

Ms. Manogna, who secured 100 percentile in the examination, met the Minister along with her parents. Mr. Lokesh congratulated her and wished her greater success in the future and assured her of his support and shared his phone number with her saying she could message him if she ever needed anything.

Acknowledging the mother’s role in a student’s achievement, he felicitated Manogna’s mother and spoke about curriculum reforms to her father, who is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering. Speaking about the need for curriculum to align with industry needs, he said the government was initiating measures to ensure that students were made job-ready when they graduated from colleges.

He said the government efforts were aimed at not only creating job opportunities, but also to empower youth to become job providers, and went on to explain about the KG-to-PG reforms being implemented in the education sector.

The Minister said he was trying to understand how it was that students who completed a four-year Engineering Degree struggled to get jobs, while those who take a four-month coaching course in Ameerpet managed to secure employment.

He said students should ensure that they are ready for employment the moment they step out of college.