Maharashtra Govt Announces Free Higher Education For Girls Of EWS, SEBC, OBC Category

Mumbai: Maharashtra government announced on Monday that higher education for girls from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) will now be free. This initiative, aimed at promoting women's education, was finalized during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Additionally, tuition and exam fees for orphaned students of both genders will be waived, according to a government resolution (GR).

Set to commence from the 2024-25 academic year, the scheme is projected to cost Rs 906 crore. The GR specifies that female students applying to recognized vocational courses through the Centralized Admission Process in government, aided private, semi-aided private, and non-aided colleges, as well as polytechnics, autonomous government universities, and open universities, will benefit from this initiative.

The covered courses span a wide array of fields including higher and technical education, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, animal husbandry, pisciculture, and dairy development.

However, the scheme excludes students from private autonomous universities or self-funded universities, as well as those enrolling through management and institutional quotas. Eligibility criteria require female students to come from families with an annual income of Rs 8 lakh or less and belong to EWS, SEBC, or OBC categories. Both new admissions and current students pursuing their degrees will benefit from this scheme.

In the state budget, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar introduced several other schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Annapoorna Yojana (offering three free gas cylinders to women), Mukhyamantri Yuva Karyaprashikshan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Krishi Pump Yojana, Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (providing a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women aged 21 to 60 years), and an overarching scheme for free education for women.

While the opposition has questioned the funding sources for these initiatives, suggesting they are targeted at wooing women voters ahead of the state assembly polls, Chief Minister Shinde has emphasized that the schemes are backed by financial provisions and are intended to be permanent.