Assam government launches student scholarship programme

Under the ‘Gyan Deepika Scholarship’ scheme, which was announced in the 2019-20 state budget, the state government has released hostel dues of Rs 700 per month for 10 months through Direct Bank Tranferes (DBT) on dues to 13,414 hostel students of government colleges and state universities.

During a ceremonial distribution programme held in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state Finance minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had also distributed one-time financial assistance of upto Rs 1 lakh to students whose parents are currently employed in Hindustan Paper Corporation’s units at Jagiroad and Pachgram.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that dreams can never be realized without education.

“Education gives wings to students to bring into reality what they aspire to be in life. Keeping this in view, the State government is putting up unabated efforts to develop empowered personality of students who are academically brilliant, socially conscious and professionally successful,” Sonowal said.

Sonowal urged the students to move ahead in life with discipline, modesty, decency and the spiritual and value based teachings of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva.

He also asked parents and teachers to inspire and guide the students in building robust character which is filled with respect, devotion, compassion and obedience.

“In this age of competitiveness, challenges are galore and students have to perform their best to shine in life. The vision of a developed Assam can become a reality only through the abilities and efficacies of an educated generation. The state government therefore accords utmost importance to education department including provision of admission fee waiver, free uniforms, free text books to the students upto degree level etc,” Sonowal said.

The Assam Chief Minister further said that fulfilling its promise, the state government under ‘Gyan Deepika’ scheme has taken the step to provide financial assistance of Rs 7000 on the mess bills, for those students staying in the hostels of government or provincialized colleges and universities irrespective of their economic status, adding that the move would reduce some of the anxieties confronting the parents.

Sonowal also said that many higher and technical educational institutions like cultural university, sports university, medical college, skill development university, engineering college, polytechnic etc. are being constructed to provide more academic opportunities to the students of the State.

Assam Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that educational institutions must develop an environment where debates and discussions could take place and an environment for acquiring knowledge tops the priority among students.

He said that any discussion based on logic leads to positive outcome.

Stating that the Assam government is making concerted efforts to make higher education fully free, Sarma informed that the Assam government would set up several degree colleges in the State and one university in Golaghat district.

He moreover said that speedy steps would also be taken to address many issues including provincialization of educational institutions, filling up vacant posts of college and school teachers etc.

Minister of State for education Bhabesh Kalita, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika, Additional Chief Secretary in-charge of education department Rajib Bora, Principal Secretary Finance Sameer Sinha, vice chancellor of Rabindra Nath Thakur University Dr. Amalendu Chakraborty, vice chancellor of Dibrugarh University Dr. Ranjit Tamuli, DGM of State Bank of India Sushanta Sahu, senior officials of education department, principals of different colleges of the state were present among other in the programme.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)