Bhubaneswar: In a major relief for economically disadvantaged students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed that eligible students admitted to government medical and engineering colleges will not be required to deposit admission, tuition or other fees at the time of admission and for up to six months thereafter.
The decision is aimed at addressing the financial difficulties faced by meritorious students from economically weaker SC and ST families, who often qualify in competitive examinations despite significant challenges but struggle to arrange the required fees immediately after securing admission.
According to the CM’s Office, several such cases have regularly come to light, highlighting how financial constraints at the time of admission can create serious hurdles for deserving students seeking to pursue higher education in professional institutions.
Under the CM’s direction, poor SC and ST students covered under the proposed arrangement will be allowed to defer the payment of admission, tuition and other applicable fees for a period of up to six months.
These students receive scholarships from both the Central and state governments, which often take around three to four months to complete scholarship formalities and receiving the funds.
The new arrangement will allow students to pay their admission and tuition fees after receiving their scholarship amount, removing the immediate financial burden on their families.
The decision is expected to provide significant relief to meritorious students from disadvantaged backgrounds and ensure that a lack of immediate funds does not prevent them from taking admission to government medical and engineering colleges.
