"I congratulate them for achieving such feat despite financial hurdles. The state government will bear the expenses incurred towards study and boarding during their course period," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said after felicitating the trio.
Patnaik also handed over one laptop each to Narayan Mallik from Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district who cracked the AIIMS entrance and Rajanikant Nayak and Kailash Chandra Bhakta who cleared the IIT-JEE examination this year.
Narayan Mallik secured 13th position in the AIIMS entrance in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, while Rajanikant Nayak from Denua village under Baruan block of Mayurbhanj district secured all-India ST rank of 245 in the IIT-JEE.