Welfare schemes of the Government promoting girls education

Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education is implementing various welfare schemes for incentives for girls education. Under the Samagra Shiksha, there is a provision of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) under Samagra Shiksha. KGBVs are residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL). A total of 5726 KGBVs have been sanctioned in the country. Out of it, 5010 KGBVs are functional with the enrolment of 6.54 lakh girls.

The scheme also has a provision of opening of schools in the neighbourhood, free uniform and text-books up to Class VIII, provision of gender segregated toilets in all schools, provision of self-defence training from classes VI to XII and stipend to Divyang girls from class I to Class XII. Special  state  specific  projects such as Life Skills, Awareness programmes, Incinerators, Sanitary Pad Vending Machines etc. for varied interventions  under  equity are also emphasized under the scheme for enhancing  access,  retention  and  quality for girls  by  promoting  enrolment  drives,  retention and motivation camps, gender sensitization modules etc.

A Central Sector Scheme ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)’is also under implementation since 2008 to award scholarships to meritorious students, including girls, of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) to arrest their drop-out at class VIII and encourage them to continue the study at Secondary Stage. Under the scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships of Rs.12000/- per annum per student are awarded to selected students of class IX  every year and are renewed  in classes X to XII for study in a State Government, Government-aided and Local body school under the scheme.

Ministry of Education also runs a Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students since 2008 with the objective to provide financial assistance to meritorious students to meet a part of their day-to-day expenses while pursuing higher studies. 50% of the scholarships are earmarked for girls.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.