Delhi govt launches fee-waiver scheme for undergraduate students

Students of GGS Indraprastha University , Delhi Technological University (DTU), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IITD), Ambedkar University, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technological University for Women and Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University to benefit.

Undergraduate students in universities run by the Delhi government can soon get their fees waived off, while, those studying in class 10-12 will now get one-on-one career counselling sessions.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced For students from families with income of more than Rs2.5 lakh but not exceeding Rs6 lakh per annum, the government will grant 25% fee-waiver.(Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday announced a fee-waiver scheme on merit-cum-means basis for students taking admission in undergraduate courses in six state universities. The scheme will be rolled out in the upcoming academic session.

“Students from a family covered under the National Food Security Scheme will get a 100% fee-waiver while those from families with Rs2.5 lakh annual income will get a waiver of 50%,” Sisodia said.

For students from families with income of more than Rs2.5 lakh but not exceeding Rs6 lakh per annum, the government will grant 25% fee-waiver. Students getting 60% marks in class 12 will be eligible for the scheme while those belonging from SC/ST category will get a relaxation of 5%.

Apart from this, all students covered under the scheme will also get Rs5,000 for books and other expenses.

The varsities covered under the scheme include GGS Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), Delhi Technological University (DTU), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IITD), Ambedkar University, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technological University for Women and Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University.

“The scheme will also be extended to the Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology as and when the institution becomes a state university,” he said.

Counselling sessions

Sisodia, who is also the education minister, announced that students of class 10 and 12 in Delhi government-run schools will be counseled by experts to resolve their career-related and personal problems.

“There are around 4 lakh students enrolled in classes 10-12 in Delhi government schools. So far there has been no provision of providing any counselling to them for making informed career choices and deal with any emotional problems at personal level,” the minister said.

For this, the Delhi government has tied up with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and counsellors have been appointed. Only 3% private schools in Delhi have counselling provisions, he added.

“Training of these counselors began today. They will offer one-on-one counselling for students, data of which will also be made available online and experts roped in for the purpose,” he said.