The Gujarat government recently disbursed scholarships totaling Rs 354 crore to over 13.96 lakh students via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) during an event in Gandhinagar. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over the event where funds were allocated under various schemes like SSIP 2.0, Namo Lakshmi Yojana, and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana. The money was directly credited to the students’ bank accounts.
Addressing the audience, Patel highlighted the state’s success in reducing the dropout rate among girls through sustained educational efforts. He mentioned that Gujarat’s dropout ratio, which used to be around 34–38 per cent, has now decreased to just two per cent. Patel credited initiatives like Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav and Shala Praveshotsav, initiated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, for enhancing enrollment and retention rates.
Patel emphasized the state’s commitment to quality education by outfitting schools with smart classrooms and digital laboratories under the ‘Mission School of Excellence’. He praised the significant advancements in the education sector over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. Additionally, he highlighted schemes such as Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana, aimed at supporting girls’ education and increasing their participation in science streams, resulting in a 6–7 per cent rise in girls attending schools.
Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja lauded the transparency in governance demonstrated by the DBT-based scholarship distribution, where more than 13 lakh students received over Rs 354 crore directly into their accounts. Vaja also mentioned the state’s support for student innovation, with grants of up to Rs 20,000 provided at the school level to foster entrepreneurship. He noted the increase in girls’ enrollment under the Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati schemes and the allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for these programs in the upcoming year.
