By Kawanpreet Kaur 

The Maharashtra government has announced significant initiatives aimed at enhancing access to higher education for economically disadvantaged girls and orphaned students. It made the higher education for girls belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) completely free to promote women’s education in the state. It also waived off the tuition and exam fees for orphaned students of both genders.  

The government resolution specifies that female students applying to recognised vocational courses through the Centralised 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 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. While the students from private universities and those enrolling through management and institutional quotas are not eligible, the scheme covers both new admissions and current students pursuing their degrees. The courses covered include those in higher and technical education, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, animal husbandry, pisciculture, and dairy development. Starting from the 2024-25 academic year, the scheme is expected to cost Rs 906 Crore.  

Click here to read/download the resolution.