500 female students from J&K, NE get AICTE scholarship to pursue technical education

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has awarded the Pragati scholarship to nearly 500 female students from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and a similar number of students from Northeastern states for the 2020-21 academic year.  

The ‘Pragati’ technical education scholarship is awarded to female students pursuing courses such as engineering and management among others and is awarded for both diploma and degree-level courses. 

The number of scholarship awardees in 2020-21 represents a significant increase from 2019-20, when zero students from J&K and only eight students from the Northeastern states were able to secure this scholarship. According to ThePrint, a similar pattern was observed in 2018-19.

According to authorities, the increase in scholarships reflects an increased interest in technical education among women, particularly those from remote areas.  “We have awarded scholarships to women from some of the most untouched regions such as Poonch, Ganderbal, Doda, Kishtwar in J&K and some backward regions of Tripura and Nagaland. This shows that women Hve shown interest to pursue technical education and if given financial support, they will definitely participate,” a senior official from AICTE told ThePrint.  

Till the 2019-20 academic session, the council offered 4,000 scholarships but from 2020, the number was increased to 10,000. 

Pragati Scholarship Scheme 

• Under  the Pragati scholarship scheme, students of degree/diploma courses are  provided  an equal amount of incentive assistance.
• 15  per cent seats are reserved for SC candidates, while 7.5 per cent  for ST candidates and 27 per cent seats are reserved for OBC  candidates. 
• All  beneficiary students are  selected on the basis of the merit and financial status of their  families, but  in 2020, the AICTE decided to accept applications of all poor female  students from states  and Union Territories — namely J&K, Ladakh, Andaman and  Nicobar, Daman and Diu and the Northeastern states — irrespective  of merit. 
• All  those degree/diploma course students whose family income does not  exceed 8 lakh per year can apply for the scholarship online. 

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