18th August, 2025
Empowering Underprivileged Girls Through Education and Income-Support
As part of its focused effort to boost girls’ participation in higher education, the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department is crafting an innovative “Earn While You Learn” policy. Under this proposed initiative, female college students would receive ₹2,000 per month, facilitating financial independence while they study.
What Does the Scheme Include?
- Tuition Fee Waivers: Already extended for 842 courses, easing the education cost burden.
- Existing Stipend: Students currently receive a ₹6,000 monthly subsistence allowance to manage housing and food.
- New Monthly Support: The ₹2,000 “earn while you learn” stipend is being added on top, aimed at covering daily expenses like stationery, travel, and personal needs.
- Coverage: The scheme is targeted to support up to 5 lakh female students, requiring ₹100 crore per month or ₹1,000 crore annually if fully implemented.
- Implementation Steps: Student eligibility lists will be compiled by colleges, and payments will go directly to students’ bank accounts. Funding is currently under discussion between the Higher Education Department and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, although financial constraints may delay approval.
Why This Matters
- Greater Accessibility to Education
Despite fee waivers and subsistence allowances, many girls still struggle with basic academic and living costs. This scheme offers much-needed flexibility for daily expenses—making sustained engagement in college feasible. - Incentivizing Education Completion
The structure of guaranteed, regular income creates an economic incentive for girls to continue through higher education, reducing drop-out risks. - Building Work Readiness
By linking financial support with part-time or campus-facilitated work, students not only earn but also gain experience and confidence—skills critical for post-graduation success. - Scale and Scope for Impact
With coverage of half a million students, the scheme has the potential to make a substantial difference in educational equity across Maharashtra.
Aligning with Other National Initiatives
This scheme complements existing central and state-level efforts:
- PRAGATI (AICTE): Offers Rs 2,000 per month for ten months to girls from families earning below ₹6 lakh per year who pursue technical education.
- Kanyashree Prakalpa (West Bengal): Offers up to ₹1,000 annual scholarship (K1) and a one-time grant of ₹25,000 at age 18 (K2), conditional on school enrollment and unmarried status. It has benefited millions of girls since 2013.
- Ladli Laxmi Yojana (Madhya Pradesh): Provides long-term financial support via investments tied to educational milestones, offering monthly support during higher secondary and lump-sum payouts at key education junctures.
- Bangaru Thalli (Andhra Pradesh): A lifecycle support scheme—spanning from prenatal to graduation—with structured financial assistance and rewards conditional on education completion.
- Nijut Moina 2.0 (Assam): Offers monthly stipends ranging from ₹1,000 (HS) to ₹2,500 (PG), coupled with free admissions from HS to PG. This aims to curb child marriage by encouraging continued education.
- Azim Premji Foundation Scholarships: Rolling out ₹2,250 crore over 3 years to support 2.5 lakh girls across 18 states with ₹30,000 per year scholarships for higher education.