Himachal to remove caste column from school admission forms from next session

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Aug 26 directed officials to remove the caste column from school admission forms from the next academic session.

The direction was issued during a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board, where Sukhu said the move would support the government's efforts to eliminate caste-based discrimination and promote equality among children.

He said children should not develop feelings of inferiority based on their caste and that removing the column from admission forms would be a step toward creating a more inclusive environment in schools.

Scheduled Caste students and families will still be required to provide caste details while applying for government schemes and benefits. Sukhu said this would ensure that eligible beneficiaries continue to receive welfare assistance without difficulties.

The chief minister said the state government is prioritizing issues affecting the Scheduled Caste community and has introduced several welfare measures for them. He directed officials to ensure that eligible people are made aware of these schemes.

Under the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Swarozgar Saur Yojana, the government is offering subsidies for projects ranging from 100 KW to 2 MW. The subsidy is 5% for projects in tribal areas and 4% in other areas.

Sukhu also said meritorious students can obtain loans of up to ₹20 lakh for higher education at an interest rate of 1%. The initiative is aimed at helping students continue their education despite financial constraints.

The government is also preparing to implement the Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana for extremely poor families. Under the scheme, eligible households will receive 300 units of free electricity, while women in these families will receive a monthly pension of ₹1,500.