Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced significant reforms to the State’s college scholarship program, responding to feedback from educational institutions and benefiting millions of students from low-income backgrounds.
Under the revamped system, scholarship funds will now be directly deposited into college bank accounts upon admission, a change suggested by college authorities. This adjustment aims to alleviate financial burdens on institutions and improve administrative efficiency.
“So far, the scheme has benefited 19 lakh students across Assam,” asserted the CM, underlining the widespread impact of the program.
The Chief Minister highlighted the program’s evolution, initially launched in 2016 for first-year degree, higher secondary, and postgraduate students. Subsequent expansions have included third and fifth-semester enrolments in response to student demands.
Acknowledging concerns raised by college principals regarding delayed reimbursements and operational challenges, Himanta Sarma announced a streamlined reimbursement process. “This year alone, 95,000 students from families earning less than 4 lakh rupees annually have availed free admissions,” he noted.
To further facilitate the process, Dispur will allocate Rs 60 crore to college principals, covering costs associated with free admissions for these 95,000 students.
The enhanced system, managed through the Samarth portal for monitoring free admissions, aims to ensure seamless college operations while providing accessible education opportunities to deserving students.
