Press Information Bureau English Releases

In a major initiatives for girl education in the country, the Government has decided that every single girl child will be eligible for free education from standard VI to XII from current financial year.

The UGC will also launch another Post-Graduate Scholarship scheme for the single girl child. Any girl who is the only girl child of her parents will be eligible to receive a scholarship of Rs. 2000 per month to pursue her Post-Graduate education in any recognized institution of higher learning in the country.

It has been decided that all schools seeking affiliation to CBSE will have to give total fee waiver to every girl who is a single child of her parents. This fee waiver should be available from Class VI up to Class XII. Similarly, if the only two children in a family are girls, both of them will be entitled to a concession in fees to the extent of 50%. Fees for this purpose will include tuition fee and all other fees, by whatever name charged, but excluding money charged, if any, for transport and food.

UGC will also make a similar provision as a condition of affiliation/approval to all their programmes and courses. We will initiate dialogue with other examination boards and affiliating institutions to come up with similar schemes of privileging the single girl child.

All these schemes and measures will be implemented out of the resources of the concerned institutions. All beneficiaries would be transparently selected based on self-selection and scholarships awarded by CBSE and UGC will be without prejudice to any scholarship, which the student may receive from any other source. Paper work in the implementation of these schemes will be kept to the minimum.

Promotion of Women’s education has been one of the cornerstones of our educational policy. Unfortunately, girls still face discrimination in our society. Son preference has led to various abhorrent practices including female foeticide. Participation of girls in education also suffers because of societal attitudes. New initiatives have, therefore, become necessary to give the girl child her due, and to empower her for a life of equality and dignity.

Perhaps, the most distinguished single girl child in our history has been Smt. Indira Gandhi, who, despite being a single and sometimes lonely child, achieved greatness and played a historic role in shaping the world. To perpetuate Indiraji’s memory and make her a source of inspiration for our girls, it has been decided that all female students at the college/university level, who are single girl children will be called “Indira Gandhi Scholars” and would receive recognition and support throughout their educational careers. Various public service providers would be requested to extend concessions and benefits to Indira Gandhi Scholars in a suitable manner.

Looking at the need to give recognition and support to meritorious students and with a view to promotion of girls education, Government of India have decided that CBSE and UGC will institute certain new scholarships in addition, and other measures from the current financial year .

CBSE will offer 550 scholarships based on its Class XII examinations, purely on merit basis @ Rs. 500 per month for pursuing Under-Graduate education in non-medical and non-engineering courses in recognized colleges. At the end of three years, there will be in all 1650 scholars who will receive these scholarships.

CBSE also conducts entrance exams for medical and engineering students, viz., AIPMT and AIEEE. CBSE will offer 500 scholarships every year, 350 for engineering students and 150 for medical students, for pursuing these courses. The rate of scholarship would be Rs. 1000 per month. From fourth year onwards, a total of 2000 students will be getting these scholarships at any given point of time. The scholarships will be based on the top ranks received in these exams.

The UGC will implement two Post-Graduate Scholarship Schemes. The First and Second rank holders of B.A., B.Sc., and B.Com and First rank holders in 18 identified Honours Courses of all recognized Universities and Deemed to be Universities will be given scholarship of Rs. 2000 per month for pursuing their Post-Graduate education in any recognized institution of higher learning in the country. Total number of students benefiting from this scheme would be nearly 5000 from its second year, onwards.

The UGC will also launch another Post-Graduate Scholarship scheme for the single girl child. Any girl who is the only girl child of her parents will be eligible to receive a scholarship of Rs. 2000 per month to pursue her Post-Graduate education in any recognized institution of higher learning in the country. Total number of girl students benefiting under the scheme would be about 2400 from its second year, onwards.

The scholarships being instituted by CBSE and UGC once fully operational, will benefit altogether about 11000 students in any given year. These will spur our young women and men to strive towards higher levels of excellence and do themselves and the country proud.

UM:SPS:NC
(Release ID :12164)