Assam Government Launches Financial Support Scheme for Boys in Higher Education
New Initiative for Male Students
Guwahati, Jan 6: On Tuesday, the Assam government announced a new financial support initiative called Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni, aimed at assisting undergraduate and postgraduate male students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing higher education.
The Higher Education Department has introduced this scheme as a counterpart to the existing Nijut Moina Asoni for female students, with the goal of addressing gender disparities and reducing dropout rates among male students in higher education.
Eligible male students in their first year of undergraduate programs at government and provincialized colleges will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000, while first-year postgraduate students will be granted Rs 2,000 per month.
This financial assistance will be provided for a maximum of 10 months each academic year through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu shared the details of the scheme on social media, emphasizing its purpose to promote gender-balanced support and mitigate dropout rates among economically vulnerable boys.
The executive order from the department states that this scheme will be active during the 2025โ26 academic year and is intended for regular male students from Assam whose family income is below Rs 4 lakh annually.
Students enrolled in private institutions, self-financed courses, or distance learning programs will not qualify for this assistance.
The scheme aims to boost enrollment among male students from economically weaker sections, enhance Assam's Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), and lower dropout rates at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, aligning with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Guidelines indicate that married undergraduate male students, those receiving the Banikanta Kakati Merit Award, and postgraduate students benefiting from the Chief Ministerโs Jibon Prerana Scheme will not be eligible for this initiative.
Beneficiaries must maintain regular attendance and adhere to academic and institutional conduct standards; failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of the incentive. No payments will be made during summer breaks or any extended absence exceeding one month, as per the order.
Previously, on December 9, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced this incentive scheme for boys while distributing scooters to 11,250 Higher Secondary toppers under the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra.
โThis initiative is designed to foster a more robust academic environment throughout the state,โ Sarma stated.
The Mukhyamantri Nijut Moina Asoni, a flagship DBT-based financial aid program for female students, has already benefited over 5 lakh students, significantly transforming the support system for students in the state.
The introduction of the Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni also follows another government initiative aimed at providing comprehensive support to students preparing for the HSLC and CBSE Class 10 examinations โ the Prerona Scheme.
Under the Prerona initiative, approximately 4.4 lakh students across Assam receive a monthly stipend of โน300 for four months, starting from November 2025.