Jharkhand Chief Minister rolls out two schemes for students pursuing higher education

NEW DELHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren introduced two schemes on Monday aimed at enhancing students' access to higher education. At the inauguration ceremony held at Ranchi’s Tana Bhagat Stadium, Soren emphasised the importance of these schemes, the Guruji Student Credit Card and the Manki Munda Scholarship, in removing obstacles hindering students' pursuit of higher education. "This is a very important day for Jharkhand as the government has started two major schemes to remove the hurdles in way of students to pursue higher education," Soren said.

Under the Guruji Student Credit Card scheme, students can avail collateral-free education loans of up to Rs 15 lakh with an annual interest rate of 4 per cent. Repayment of the loan begins one year after the completion of the course, with the government serving as the guarantor, he said. Similarly, the Manki Munda Scholarship scheme aims to incentivise girls to pursue technical education. Under this scheme, girl students will receive Rs 15,000 per annum for diploma courses and Rs 30,000 per annum for engineering courses, he added.

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Education empowerment initiatives

Approximately 1,200 students have already registered under the Guruji Student Credit Card scheme, while 800 have enrolled under the Manki Munda Scholarship scheme, he said. During the event, the chief minister personally handed over credit cards and scholarships to two students from each scheme as a symbolic gesture. Soren emphasised the significance of higher education for the children of labourers and farmers, highlighting its role in achieving the vision of a developed Jharkhand.

Additionally, the chief minister mentioned the Mukhyamantri Shiksha Protsahan Yojna, a scheme providing a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500 to students. This stipend aims to alleviate living expenses during coaching, ensuring that financial constraints do not impede educational pursuits. Soren reiterated the importance of education, stating that without it, development at the family, societal, and state levels is not feasible. "Education is important as without it development in family, society and state is not possible," he said. The chief minister inaugurated a newly built 3D theatre at the regional science centre in Ranchi, further stressing on the government's commitment to promoting education and innovation in the state.