Financial Assistance for Higher Studies Abroad
On 31st Aug 2019, the AAP Delhi Cabinet approved a scholarship scheme to fund higher studies of 100 Dalit students overseas each year.
Students belonging to Scheduled Caste category from low income groups who have secured admission to M Phil, PhD, LLM, M.Tech and other higher education courses in accredited foreign universities would be eligible for the scheme. The AAP Delhi government will provide financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh for a two-year course and up to Rs 20 lakh for a four-year course.
Promoting artisans
On 10 Mar 2021, in the Delhi Budget 2021-22 speech, Manish Sisodia announced that the government proposes to start the Baba Saheb Pragatisheel Vishwakarma Shilpkar Gram Yojna to promote artisans from the SC/OBC/minority communities, and those with disabilities, to showcase their products along the lines of Dilli Haat. Delhi Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation Ltd (DSFDC) would construct Shilpi Haat exclusively for these artisans and shops would be allotted to them for 5 years on a monthly lease basis.
Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana
Under the AAP Delhi government’s “Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana” scheme, students belonging to SC, ST, OBC and EWS sections can avail of free coaching at 46 empanelled private coaching centres — and, under special provisions, some non-empanelled centres too — for a wide range of competitive exams including UPSC, CDS, SSC, judicial services, Banks, Railway Recruitment Board, Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board and insurance companies, medical and engineering entrances, prominent law university entrances and management school exams.
A student belonging to a family whose combined annual income is Rs 8 lakh or below is eligible to apply. The other eligibility criteria is that students should have passed classes 10 and 12 from schools in Delhi, and should fulfil the eligibility criteria for the specific competitive examination.
“It is the dream of CM Arvind Kejriwal that even the poorest of poor kids who want to become someone prominent receive assistance and support in fulfilling their dreams. If a kid from a family earning less than ₹8 lakh per annum is talented, they will no longer have to face the hurdles of poverty – the Kejriwal government will provide them free coaching. Other than tuition fees, we will also provide a stipend of ₹2,500 to the beneficiary students so that they do not face problems in their commute.” – Rajendra Pal Gautam, Delhi Social Welfare Minister
When it was first launched in Dec 2017, it was applicable only to students from the SC and ST communities and was offered to 5,000 students per year. The next year, this was extended to OBC students and those belonging to the EWS category too, and is now available to 15,000 students per year.
In 2018-2019, as many as 4,953 students enrolled for availing of the free coaching.
- Of the 107 students who got free coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams under the scheme,
- 13 cracked the JEE Main
- 22 qualified in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)
- 5 of them secured admissions to leading technical and medical institutions such as Lady Hardinge College, IIT-Delhi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, National Institute of Technology Delhi and Banaras Hindu University.
The scheme was put on hold in 2020 due to Covid but has now resumed. In 2021-2022, 15,000 students have enrolled under this scheme.
Merit-cum-Means Linked Financial Assistance for higher studies
To ensure that no student is deprived of higher education due to financial constraints, the “Merit-cum-Means Linked Financial Assistance Scheme” was launched in the academic year 2017-18 to provide access to quality higher education to students irrespective of their economical background.
More details are available under “Education” section.
