Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: Assam is dumping more cash into higher education. The state government just launched the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Aasoni to help male students from low-income families. Officials also overhauled the existing Nijut Moina scheme for girls to push enrollment higher and curb dropout rates.
The new program for men covers those with a family income under Rs 4 lakh per year. Undergraduate students get Rs 1,000 monthly, while postgraduates receive Rs 1,250 for up to ten months. Students must stay in school to keep the money. The government says the move is intended to "improve access to higher education while ensuring that financial assistance reaches eligible students in a transparent manner without overlapping benefits."
Nijut Moina is now universal for all female students living in Assam. It excludes the children of ministers and lawmakers. The program covers B.Ed students and those in professional courses. Officials added a catch for the 2027-28 school year. Students will then have to pick between the state Fee Waiver Scheme or Nijut Moina. They cannot keep both.
Money moves through Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefit Transfers. Schools must verify attendance before any cash hits a student account. Married women generally stay ineligible for the girls' scheme, though B.Ed and postgraduate students remain exceptions to that rule.
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