Assam Merit Award Scheme: 11,250 students to receive scooters; girls make up 6,860 of recipients

NEW DELHI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday distributed scooters to 11,250 students who secured over 80 per cent marks in the higher secondary examinations this year. Speaking at the distribution ceremony, Sarma said the government has made "small changes" in the implementation of the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award, under which scooters are given to meritorious students.

Due to these changes, the number of beneficiaries fell to 11,250 from 48,673 last year, he said. However, the chief minister added that the Nijut Moina scheme now covers more than five lakh girls. "To inspire boys in their studies, a new scheme like ‘Nijut Moina’ will be introduced on January 1. This will help build a stronger academic environment in Assam," he said.

Of the 11,250 students who received scooters this year, 6,860 are girls and the rest boys. Sarma said the state government has provided scooters to 1,86,442 students under the merit award scheme between 2017-18 and 2024-25, spending over Rs 1,043 crore. The chief minister urged the recipients to follow two "golden rules" of road safety — not to ride the scooter until they obtain a driving licence and to wear a helmet every time they ride. He also advised students to think positive.

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Medical education expansion in Assam

"Students who indulge in negativity often drift from the right path and eventually fall into the trap of criminal mentality, while those with a positive mindset show strong self-confidence," Sarma said. Highlighting the state’s development in the education and health sectors, Sarma said Assam now has over 25 medical colleges, of which 15 are functional, and 10 are under various stages of construction. He said that the number of medical seats now stands at 2,000 and it would reach 5,000 by 2030.

"Gone are the days when students from Assam had to travel to cities like Pune for higher studies because the state lacked universities," he said. Assam now has two central universities, 25–26 state universities that are either functional or under construction, and nearly 30 engineering colleges, including IIT Guwahati and NIT Silchar, he added.