Shiksha Samachar: Higher Education for Poor Students

Higher Education for Poor Students
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siteadmin on 26/04/2012 11:54:00

The Central Government is implementing Means-cum-Merit Scholarship to
meritorious students.  Similarly the University Grants Commission (UGC) is also
providing scholarships and fellowships to SC, ST, Minorities and other
meritorious candidates.

The Central Government has launched a new Central Scheme to provide  full
interest subsidy during the period of moratorium on educational  loans for
students belonging to economically weaker sections (with  parental family income
from all sources up to Rs. 4.5 lakh annually)  from Scheduled Banks under the
Educational Loan Scheme of the Indian  Banks’ Association (IBA) for pursuing
courses of studies in  professional/technical streams from recognized
institutions in India.   The scheme is effective from the academic year
2009-2010.  The Scheme is  based solely on income criteria and not social
background.  The details  of the Scheme are available on this Ministry’s
website at  www.education.nic.in.  The All India Council for Technical Education
 (AICTE) implements the scheme on “Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for Women.  
Economically Backward and Physically Handicapped Meritorious Students”  under
which, tuition fee waiver is provided to women, economically  backward and
physically handicapped meritorious students pursuing  degree/diploma level
technical education.  Details of the scheme are  available at
http://www.aicte-india.org/tefwhws.htm
Under  the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, every child in the age group of 
6-14 years is provided eight years of elementary education.  The Act  requires
all private schools to reserve 25% of seats to children from  poor families (to
be reimbursed by the State).  The Central Government  is also implementing
National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for  Secondary Education.  Central Board
of Secondary Education (CBSE) has  reported that it is implementing Merit
Scholarship Scheme for Single  Girls Students for 10th pass students.  The UGC
has introduced the  scheme of PG Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child
which seeks  to promote girls education through scholarships to such girls who 
happen to be the only child in their family.  During XI Plan, UGC has 
strengthened the Women’s Studies Centres by establishing them as  Statutory
Departments in the University system to promote and expand  women’s studies in
teaching, research and field action.  The UGC has  also introduced a scheme for
Construction of Women’s Hostels to provide  hostel facilities to women and
incentivise  them to pursue higher  education.
This  information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource  
Development, Dr. D. Purandeswari, in written reply to a question in Lok   Sabha
today.
SOURCE : MV/GK ( Press Information Bureau Government of India Ministry of Human
Resource Development )