Maharashtra Chief Minister Ek Nath Shinde announces free academic education for girls from families that bring in incomes of Rs 8 Lakh and less. The state government of Maharashtra issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Monday to formalize its recent announcement. The GR extends 100 percent reimbursement of tuition and examination fees for female students from Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). This applies to those with annual family incomes up to Rs 8 lakh who are enrolled in professional courses.
Who Benefits from the Initiative?
The GR issued by the higher and technical education department also benefits girls from Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) and orphans. The goal is to increase the enrollment of female students in professional courses like engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and agriculture.
According to the office of Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil the scheme is effective from the current academic year. It is applicable for the girls who are doing admission in professional courses in the state through Common Admission Process (CAP) rounds. About 205,499 girls are expected to benefit from this scheme. Previously girls from OBC and EWS categories received only 50 percent fee reimbursement.
Another MASTERSTROKE of CM Eknath Shinde
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Maharashtra NDA GOVT announces full academic fee waiver for girls from families that bring in incomes of Rs 8 Lakh and less. pic.twitter.com/TmdxMYnTCL
New Application Process and Financial Allocation
As per the GR girls who applied under the previous system must submit new applications. The state has approved an additional expenditure of Rs. 906.05 crore for this purpose. However students and beneficiaries are very concerned as the Finance Minister Ajit Pawar initially did not announced this in the budget on June 28.
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Student Concerns and Suggestions
While welcoming the decision students have suggested that the government should pay the fees directly at the time of admission instead of reimbursing them later. One beneficiary of the existing 50 percent reimbursement scheme pointed out past delays in reimbursements which caused uncertainty and stress among students.
She said, “The income condition is meant to prove our inability to bear expenses. Yet, we are expected to pay the full fee and wait for reimbursement. It would be more helpful if the government waived the fee for girls and paid it directly to the institute upon admission.” Maharashtra govt should make the education free for girls instead of waiting for reimbursement.
Impact on Enrollment
The initiative aims to boost the enrollment of girls in both diploma and degree courses in professional fields. By addressing the financial barriers the government hopes to encourage more female students to pursue higher education and professional careers.
The new scheme represents a significant step towards promoting education among female students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The government’s decision to cover the full fees is a positive move, but addressing the concerns about direct fee payment could further enhance the effectiveness of this initiative.
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