Gandhinagar, October 25, 2024: Union Home Minister Amit Shah allocated Rs 116 crore in student scholarships in Gandhinagar, advancing two pivotal scholarship initiatives for students in government and government-aided schools. The event was attended by Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Education Minister Kuber Dindor, Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya, alongside other key officials.
Amit Shah emphasized Gujarat’s remarkable strides in education, highlighting that before the 2000s, the school enrollment rate was 66% with a 37% dropout rate. Today, this funding supports the “Namo Laxmi” and “Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana” scholarship schemes, designed to increase educational access and retention.
Empowering Female Students: Namo Laxmi Scheme
Under the Namo Laxmi scheme, over 1.1 million girl students in classes 9 to 12 benefit from scholarships aimed at reducing dropout rates in secondary education. This program provides Rs 500 monthly for girls in classes 9 and 10, with an additional Rs 10,000 awarded upon passing board exams, while students in classes 11 and 12 receive Rs 750 per month and Rs 15,000 for completing board exams. Over four years, girl students may receive up to Rs 50,000, encouraging them to pursue higher education and economic independence.
Fostering Science Talent: Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Scheme
The Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana scheme, promoting science education, allocates Rs 1,000 monthly to more than 250,000 students in classes 11 and 12, inspiring enrollment in science fields. This initiative aims to cultivate a skilled technical workforce, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision.
According to an official release, since its launch, the Namo Laxmi scheme has increased female student enrollment in secondary school by 6%, while the Namo Saraswati scheme has raised science stream enrollment by 10%.
Direct Benefit Transfers and Technology-Enabled Attendance Tracking
Scholarships are disbursed monthly via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to students or their mothers, contingent upon an 80% attendance rate. The SwiftChat App by ConveGenius.AI, integrated with Gujarat’s Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), enables real-time attendance verification and data tracking, streamlining the application process for students and guardians.
The government reports that since June 2024, Rs 157 crore from a budget of Rs 1,250 crore has been allocated for the Namo Laxmi scheme, and Rs 46 crore from Rs 250 crore for the Namo Saraswati scheme, marking significant financial commitment to educational empowerment across the state.