Assam CM reviews fee-waiver education scheme; 57,469 candidates eligible for free admission

NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the ‘Pragyan Bharti’, a fee-waiver scheme for free admission in higher educational institutions (HEIs). A total of 57,469 applicants have been found to be eligible for fee waiver in the academic session 2024-25. The numbers are expected to go up as the second merit list for UG admission 2024 is expected to be out soon.

According to the fee waiver scheme, all students whose family income is less than Rs 2 lakh per annum are eligible for free admission for pursuing higher education in Assam. “57,469 students have been admitted to FYUGP in government and provincialized colleges and state universities under the scheme. Another 50,000 students are expected to avail the scheme,” the CM said.

“The institutes are generally reimbursed towards the end of every financial year after data compilation from the institutes, which took a long time. This year, as the data is now readily available with the Samarth portal,” he said.

Thanking technology and Samarth eGov, the chief minister has ordered to reimburse the institutions on July 10 for all non-CUET admissions. Similarly, after completion of the CUET-based admission, the government will reimburse in the month of August.

In the last 3 years, a total of Rs 427.51 crores have been released to colleges and universities as fee waiver reimbursement, and 10 lakh 95 thousand students have benefited from the scheme.

Also read CUET UG answer key 2024 expected next week, says report; may delay UG admissions

86,623 granted UG admission so far

The Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu asked students eligible to avail fee waiver scheme for admission into FYUGP in government and provincialised colleges and state universities to submit their family ration card in case they do not have income certificate. The chief minister also instructed admitting institutes to accept NFSA certificate as income proof where income certificate is not available.

Further, he said that the state received a total of 4,81,317 applications. Of the total 1,28,317 candidates who got selected for admission, 86,623 have been granted admission through Samarth portal. Of this, 66,600 students opted for arts, 11,400 chose science, and 7,280 selected commerce. Among the selected candidates, 49,200 are female and 37,000 are male.