In wake of the pro-reservation agitation of Patidars, the Gujarat Government on Thursday came out with a financial assistance package for bright students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) for graduate, post graduate and other professional courses.
As per the package announced by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, those whose annual family income is below Rs4.5 lakh will be eligible to get financial assistance from the Government. Bright students from five recognised boards including Gujarat and Central boards who would secure more than 90 per cent marks in Class 12th will be eligible for financial assistance. Even students for reserved class will be eligible to get benefits on merits.
The State Government has decided to give a scholarship of up to Rs2 lakh annually for meritorious students pursuing a five-year degree course in medicine. This is in addition to the one-time lump sum payment of Rs10,000 towards buying textbooks and equipments.
“The Government will provide free textbooks to all EWS students of secondary and high secondary schools. To encourage entrepreneurship among young engineers, the Government will subsidise interest up to 5 per cent on bank loans from Rs50,000 to Rs10 lakh taken by engineers who were without jobs for up to five years and wanted to start their own ventures,” said the Chief Minister while announcing the package.
For diploma courses the meritorious students will get financial assistance of Rs25,000 or actual fees which ever would be less.
In case of BSC, BA, BCom and other graduation courses 50 per cent fees or Rs10,000, whichever is less will be given under the package if student is studying in self finance college. For students from rural areas where higher education facilities are not available, the Government has decided to give assistance of Rs1,200 for lodging and boarding.
Currently age limit for general category person to apply in Government job is 28 years, which has been increased to 33 years. Scholarships, books and uniforms will be given to students of Government and grant-in-aid primary and higher secondary schools.
Anandiben said the main grouse of the pro-quota agitators was that because of the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), meritorious students failed to get admission in medical, engineering and other professional courses and were compelled to seek admission into self-financed institutions which charged very high fees. She said her Government would not only fix the fee structure of self-financed institutions but will also pay the fees of such meritorious students. She hoped all sections of the society would welcome the Government’s efforts and leave no scope for anyone to agitate. “It was unfortunate that the pro-reservation agitation by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had lost direction and its leadership had fallen into wrong hands,” she added.
Meanwhile, terming the package as ‘lollipop’ PAAS convener Hardik Patel said pro-quota agitation would continue and PAAS would announce further plan of action shortly.