Higher Education for Poor Students

            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 10^th 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.