Assam: Nearly 1.2 lakh students take free college admission

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on Monday said over 71 per cent of more than 1.66 lakh students taking admission in different colleges across the state have availed of the fee waiver scheme for poor families.

Previously, students with a parental annual income of up to Rs 2 lakh were eligible for free admission, but the limit has been raised to Rs 4 lakh from this year, Pegu said in a post on X.

"The state government does not charge any fee from college students; instead, it offers a Fee Waiver scheme for BPL students. Previously, students with a parental annual income of up to ₹2 lakh were eligible for free admission, but this year the limit has been raised to ₹4 lakh, allowing Ration Cards as proof instead of Income Certificates. Admission fees are set by Colleges and Universities, with a State Fee Regulation Committee determining the upper limit. This year, 118199 (71%) students out of 166123 students have availed free admission till yesterday evening," wrote the education minister.

The colleges now allow ration cards as proof of family earnings instead of income certificates earlier, he added.

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Earlier, the Assam government announced a significant initiative to cover the admission fees of college students whose parents' annual income is below Rs 2 lakh. 

This move, estimated to cost approximately Rs 150 crore annually, aims to alleviate financial burdens for economically disadvantaged families across the state.

Under this scheme, the government will disburse the allocated funds directly to colleges in July, ensuring that eligible students are exempt from paying admission fees. This initiative is expected to benefit a substantial number of students from economically weaker backgrounds, enabling them to pursue higher education without financial constraints.