Assam’s 'Pragyan Bharti' Scheme Lifts Financial Burden for Thousands of Students

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the 'Pragyan Bharti' scheme, which offers fee waivers for students with parental incomes under Rs 2 lakh per annum. A total of 57,469 students are eligible for the 2024-25 academic session. Sarma also introduced ration cards as acceptable documents for the scheme.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday reviewed the operational efficacy of the 'Pragyan Bharti' fee-waiver scheme designed to facilitate free admission in academic institutions under the state's Higher Education Department.

Under this scheme, all students whose parental incomes are below Rs 2 lakh annually qualify for fee waivers while pursuing higher education within the state. According to an official release, 57,469 applicants have been approved for the 2024-25 academic session, with numbers expected to rise as the second merit list for undergraduate admissions is set to be published soon.

During the review meeting, Sarma instructed department officials to conduct extensive awareness campaigns to ensure that more eligible students apply for the scheme. He also addressed concerns regarding the difficulty some applicants face due to the lack of "income certificates." In a move to ease this process, Sarma ordered that ration cards issued under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) be accepted as valid supporting documents in place of income certificates.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)