Kerala govt to roll out Rs 1,000 monthly stipend for college girls this academic year
Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M John has announced that the state government will implement a monthly stipend of ₹1,000 for all college-going girl students during the current academic year. The scheme was a key election promise made by the Congress-led UDF and will be included in the upcoming state budget.
The minister said preliminary work for the initiative has already begun, but detailed guidelines will be announced in the budget session. He added that the financial support scheme is part of the UDF’s broader set of “five guarantees” promised ahead of the Assembly elections.
John also responded to criticism from the Opposition regarding alleged interference by the Governor in Kerala universities, stating that such issues had historical roots and evolved during previous administrations. He reiterated that the government would oppose any attempt at “saffronisation” of the higher education sector.
On academic matters, the minister addressed delays in the KEAM entrance examination results, explaining that uncertainty over CBSE Class XII marks had caused the postponement. He said the deadline for CBSE students to upload marks has been extended, and results will be declared soon to avoid disruption in the admission process.
He further highlighted that APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) recorded its highest-ever pass percentage of 60.1% in the 2026 B Tech examinations, with 18,125 students clearing the exam out of 30,049 candidates. Female students performed notably better, with a 77.1% pass rate compared to 49.4% among male students.
The minister also announced plans for a new orientation programme titled “SOAR 2026” to help students make informed choices about engineering courses and future careers.
