Maharashtra revises Jyotirao Phule-style hostel and allowance rules under Savitribai Phule Aadhar scheme
The OBC Bahujan Welfare Department has issued revised orders on hostel admission, eligibility and allowances for students in higher education.
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Mumbai: The state government's Other Backward Bahujan Welfare Department has issued revised orders for the Dnyanjyoti Savitribai Phule Aadhar Yojana. Under the scheme, students of Other Backward Classes, Vimukta Jatis, Nomadic Tribes and Special Backward Classes pursuing higher education are given accommodation, food and maintenance allowances.
The department said important changes have been made to the norms to remove difficulties faced during implementation and to make the scheme more transparent and student-friendly.
Clear rules have been laid down for hostels. In districts where government hostels run at the district headquarters, students of district-level colleges must first apply for admission to a government hostel. This is mandatory. Students in districts where hostels have not yet started, or where there is no policy to start hostels at the taluka level, can apply directly for the scheme.
Students must link their own Aadhaar number to a nationalised bank account. All financial assistance will be deposited into students' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Revised clarifications have also been issued on eligibility and marks. For students who complete a diploma after Class 10 and take admission directly in the second year of a degree course, at least 50 per cent marks in the final year of the diploma will be considered for the merit list. At least 50 per cent marks in the previous examination are required when taking admission to a degree or postgraduate course.
While filling in the online application, students must convert their CGPA into a percentage and attach a certificate from the college, failing which the application will be treated as ineligible. A student's attendance in college must be a regular 75 per cent, and the attendance for each quarter must be uploaded to the portal within 15 days.
The allowance amounts, which vary by category of city, have also been changed. Students studying in colleges in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur and within 5 km of the municipal corporation limits will get a food allowance of Rs 32,000, an accommodation allowance of Rs 20,000 and a maintenance allowance of Rs 8,000. This amounts to a total benefit of Rs 60,000 a year.
For other revenue divisional cities and A-class... municipal corporation areas, Rs 51,000 has been fixed. For other areas of district headquarters, the amount is Rs 43,000. Students studying at the taluka level can be given up to Rs 38,000 a year for 10 months.
The government said the revised decision will make higher education easier for thousands of eligible students. Those who did not get a hostel or who have to study far from home will get significant financial support. The government has appealed to students to follow the detailed rules and guidelines and complete their application process.
