Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Disburses Rs. 68.44 Crore to 349 Institutions Under Pragyan Bharti Scheme

On Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed Rs. 68.44 crore to 349 institutions as part of Phase-I of the Pragyan Bharti scheme. The event took place at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati. This initiative aims to provide free higher education to poor and middle-class students in Assam.

The Pragyan Bharti scheme, launched in 2016-17, has benefited 22,30,257 students up to the year 2023-24. Dr. Sarma highlighted that the scheme has been expanded to include higher secondary and postgraduate students. In 2023-24 alone, 2,94,633 students benefited from the scheme.

Dr. Sarma also mentioned the use of the ‘Samarth Portal’ for admissions, which has helped 2,28,399 students apply, with 85.2% getting admitted. He emphasized the role of technology and AI in making the admission process smooth and transparent.

The Chief Minister spoke about various initiatives for students’ intellectual development, including free enrolment, bicycle and scooty distribution, and the nijut moina scheme. He shared his personal experience of financial struggles during his time at Cotton College, which motivated him to implement free admissions for students from BPL and middle-income families.

Dr. Sarma addressed concerns about the exemption of PRC for certain college positions, stating that proficiency in the local language would better protect local people’s rights. He also mentioned that further disbursals under Pragyan Bharti would occur in September for eligible admissions like CUET.

Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu and several Vice Chancellors from various universities were present at the event.