Education
Maharashtra Government Announces Free Higher Education for EWS, SEBC, OBC Girls
Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state, the Maharashtra government has announced free higher education for girls from Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The policy, which also waives tuition and examination fees for orphaned students regardless of gender, was formalised through a government resolution (GR) during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The initiative will commence from the academic year 2024-25 and is projected to cost Rs 906 crore.
The GR states that female students seeking admission to recognised vocational courses through the Centralised Admission Process in government colleges, aided private colleges, semi-aided private colleges, non-aided colleges, polytechnic, autonomous government universities, and open universities will benefit from this scheme. The courses covered include those run by the departments of higher and technical education, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, animal husbandry, pisciculture, and dairy development. However, students from private autonomous universities, self-funded universities, or those enrolling through management and institutional quota will not be eligible for the scheme.
Female students whose annual family income is Rs 8 lakh or less and who belong to the EWS, SEBC, and OBC categories are eligible for the fee waiver. Both new admissions and current students pursuing their degrees can avail of this facility. This initiative is part of a broader women-focused policy by the Maharashtra government, aiming to enhance educational access and opportunities for underprivileged female students in the state.
(Source- PTI)
