The Government of Odisha has proposed to introduce a new education scholarship NUA-O-SEBA that would cover underprivileged college and university students left out of its existing seven scholarship schemes. The proposed scholarship, Nua-O-Support to Economically Backward Students (NUA-O-SEBA) Aspirations, will cover financially weaker students pursuing a general degree and PG (postgraduate) programmes studying in either government or government-aided colleges and public universities.
While the scholarship amount is Rs 10,000 for boys, it is Rs 12,000 for girls. It will be provided to them during the course of their studies, reported The New Indian Express.
Who is eligible?
Officials in the Higher Education Department informed that students whose family income is Rs 2 lakh or less and who have not availed of scholarships under other government schemes will be eligible for the NUA-O-SEBA aid. However, students taking admission to self-financing courses will not be eligible for it.
The scholarship is aimed at bringing more UG (undergraduate) and PG students from economically weaker sections into a higher education fold and increasing the state's gross enrollment ratio. An official said, "It has been noticed during admissions that such students rarely get admission to local colleges and have to depend on institutions nearby with hostel facilities or opt for PGs and private hostels to stay there."
While the government fees and aided colleges range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,600 to Rs 25,500 respectively, hostel fees of government colleges are between Rs 10,500 and Rs 14,500. Similarly, hostel fees for aided colleges range between Rs 4,000 and Rs 8,800 annually. "This puts a financial burden on the poor students in their pursuit of higher education. Besides, the existing scholarships of various departments focus on special social groups and specific courses, leaving a gap in support for general degree and PG programmes," an official added.
Further, officials added that the views of commissioners and secretaries of seven departments that provide higher education scholarships have been sought on the proposed new scholarship before finalising it.
Apart from the Higher Education Department, scholarships are provided by the Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Finance, Skill Development & Technical Education, Planning & Convergence, Labour & ESI (Employees' State Insurance), School & Mass Education and ST & SC (Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste) Development departments, as stated in the report by The New Indian Express.
