Over 13 lakh students receive scholarship aid via DBT in Gujarat

The Gujarat government on Dec 12 transferred more than ₹370 crore in scholarship assistance directly to the bank accounts of over 13 lakh students under four education schemes, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel overseeing the disbursement at a state-level event in Gandhinagar.

The funds were released under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Merit Scholarship Yojana, and Mukhyamantri Setu Merit Scholarship Yojana.

Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi, Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja, and Minister of State for Education Rivabaa Jadeja attended the program, according to an official release.

Addressing the gathering, the CM said Gujarat’s education sector has undergone significant change over the past two and a half decades under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the PM’s vision of seamless access to education from kindergarten to postgraduate level is steadily taking shape in the state.

Patel said the Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana were designed to ensure students complete secondary and higher secondary education, with a strong focus on promoting girls’ education.

He added that the PM gave unprecedented momentum to girls’ education through the “Beti Padhao” campaign.

Recalling PM Modi’s tenure as Gujarat CM from 2001, Patel said the state faced several challenges at the time.

He highlighted that PM Modi personally traveled from village to village to promote girls’ education, calling it an unmatched example of leadership that set a benchmark for the country.

He also said PM Modi auctioned the gifts he received as CM and donated the proceeds to support girls’ education, a step that increased public awareness and encouraged families to send their daughters to school.

He added that initiatives such as Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav helped bring down the dropout rate among girls from 37% to below 2%.

Highlighting infrastructure growth, the CM said the number of village schools offering science education has risen to 2,834. He said Gujarat had 775 colleges in 2001, compared with more than 3,200 institutions today.

Engineering colleges available to science students have increased from 139 to 288, while medical seats have expanded from 1,175 to over 7,000.

Patel also said more than 24,000 girls pursuing medical education have benefited under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Kelavani Nidhi Yojana.

Deputy CM Sanghavi said scholarship assistance of over ₹370 crore was transferred through DBT to more than 13 lakh students under the four flagship schemes.

He added that the state government has provided over ₹1,332 crore to more than 13.5 lakh children through these initiatives so far.

Sanghavi congratulated the CM on completing three years of his second term, saying he has consistently taken decisions in the public interest and encouraged a people-centric approach within the cabinet.

Speaking on the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, Sanghavi said the scheme was launched to ensure students are equipped to contribute to Gujarat’s industrial growth.

He said the program aims to ease the financial burden on parents whose children choose the science stream and has benefited thousands of students.

Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja said the government is committed to building an educated and empowered society as the foundation for Viksit Gujarat and Viksit Bharat.

He said investment in education is intended to create long-term opportunities rather than just provide financial support.

Vaja said the Namo Lakshmi Yojana has become a major tool for girls’ empowerment, with ₹1,033 crore transferred via DBT to 10.49 lakh girls so far. He said girls’ attendance has increased by 73%, while enrollment in Class 12 has risen by 13.59%.

He added that under the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, ₹151.84 crore has been provided to 1.5 lakh students, leading to a 6.34% rise in science enrollment.

The Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Merit Scholarship Yojana has disbursed ₹86.14 crore to 50,000 students, while the Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship Yojana has provided ₹61.27 crore to 60,000 students.

“These four schemes are building a bridge of knowledge for the bright future of lakhs of students in Gujarat,” the minister said.

Minister of State for Education Rivabaa Jadeja said education is the most effective means of social transformation and empowerment, as emphasized by the PM.

She described the disbursement of ₹370 crore to more than 13 lakh students as a significant milestone.

Jadeja said the state government continues to strengthen education infrastructure, promote girls’ education, reduce dropout rates, and expand opportunities to prepare Gujarat’s students for the future.