Free coaching for competitive exams and an app to apply for loans for students of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Castes and minority communities are two initiatives likely to be launched by the Delhi government on December 6.
Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said on Tuesday that the Aam Aadmi Party government would be launching the two initiatives meant for the welfare of students of SC, ST, OBC and minority communities at an event at Chhatrasal Stadium on December 6, with members of the communities invited to attend.
While the SC/ST Department already had a scheme to provide coaching to students, the beneficiaries would now be placed at reputed coaching institutes in the city.
Competitive exams
“Earlier, the department would rent a place and hire some teachers to hold classes, which were irregular and not that well attended. Under the new scheme, the students would study alongside general category students at reputed coaching centres. The government will bear the fees,” said Mr. Gautam.
The scheme would cover coaching for engineering and medical entrances as well as Central and State government-held exams for various services or posts. Of the beneficiaries, 75% would be students of government schools and 25% of private schools, said the Minister. For students whose family income is under ₹2 lakh annually, the government would pay 100% of the fees. For those whose family income is between ₹2 lakh and ₹6 lakh, the government would pay 75% of the fees, said Mr. Gautam.
“Many times, students from these communities are not able to take competitive examinations and prepare well, so we are hoping to give them an opportunity. We hope to cover 5,000 students every year,” he said. The Cabinet note for the scheme had been prepared and would be tabled in the Cabinet meeting within a week, he said.
In addition, the government would also be launching an app that will allow members of the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities to apply for small loans to set up their own enterprises. Mr. Gautam said that the existing loan scheme was riddled with complicated processes, which the app would work to simplify. Paperwork for the loans offered by the Delhi SC/ST/OBC/Minority and Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (DSFDC) would be completed within a week with the help of the app, said the Minister.
