Assam All Set to Offer Free of Cost Education to Underprivileged Students

Guwahati: Last week, the Assam government has announced a proposal that said that students who come from underprivileged and poor families will receive free study at school, colleges and universities. The state government said that students from families with less than one lakh annual income are eligible to secure free study scheme of the government.

According to the EXIN Times sources, the underprivileged students will receive free of cost education in government colleges, higher secondary schools and diploma polytechnic institutions from this year. Following the announcement by the newly elected state ministry, state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Assam has became a trendsetter and became the first state of the nation to give free higher education to the students.

“Free education is offered by several states in primary and secondary level but as far as I know, we have become the first to give this in higher secondary and above level,” Sharma added.

The Education Ministry of Assam has asserted that they will introduce the benefit to the first batch of this year who will take admission in the coming month. The ministry will also continue the privilege to the next coming years where the students do not have to pay a penny for admission fee or tuition fee. The state government said complete free study will also incorporate zero payment to other fee like sports or library for underprivileged students.

Reports are that the students willing to take free education privileges from the government have to submit salary certificates or salary slips of their parents. For non-working parents, a certificate from the circle officer will have equivalent assessment.

According to EXIN Times correspondent, the Assamese State Government is targeting 52,000 to 60,000 students will take admissions to higher secondary schools, colleges and in polytechnic colleges in this session. “The state government will reimburse the educational institutes the loss they incur while admitting such students within two months after they submit the statements to directorate of higher education,” an official said. he also added that for the first year the state will have an additional cost of Rs. 70 crore which will increase in the coming years.