Gandhinagar, March 27 – The Gujarat government on Friday disbursed scholarships worth Rs 354 crore to over 13.96 lakh students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) at an event held in Gandhinagar, chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
The funds were distributed to beneficiaries under SSIP 2.0, Namo Lakshmi Yojana, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Merit Scholarship, and Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship, with the money credited directly into students’ bank accounts.
Addressing the gathering, Patel said that sustained efforts in education had significantly reduced the dropout rate among girls in the state.
"Earlier, the dropout ratio in Gujarat was around 34–38 per cent; today it has come down to just two per cent," he said.
He added that initiatives such as Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav and Shala Praveshotsav, launched when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the state, had helped improve enrolment and retention.
Patel said schools across Gujarat are now equipped with smart classrooms and digital laboratories under the ‘Mission School of Excellence’, ensuring improved access to quality education.
He said there had been “transformative change” in the country’s education sector over the past 11 years under the Prime Minister’s leadership.
Referring to schemes aimed at girls’ education, he said Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana were introduced to ensure that financial constraints do not interrupt studies and to encourage participation in science streams.
“With the successful implementation of these schemes, there has been a 6–7 per cent increase in the number of girls in schools,” he said.
He also said Gujarat has ranked first in startup rankings for five consecutive years and that students are being provided platforms for innovation from the school level.
During the event, assistance amounting to Rs 69.69 lakh was distributed to 735 students under 'SSIP 2.0' for innovative projects.
Advising students, Patel said, “During student life, social media should be used in a limited manner so that more focus can be placed on studies.”
Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja said the DBT-based distribution reflected transparency in governance.
“More than 13 lakh students have received over Rs 354 crore directly in their accounts today, which is a transparent step by the government,” he said.
He added that more than 1,400 students have begun working on 735 selected startup ideas, and that the state provides grants of up to Rs 20,000 at the school level to promote entrepreneurship.
"There has been a notable increase in girls’ enrolment over the past two years under the Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati schemes, and that Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for these programmes in the coming year," he said.
According to the government, a total of Rs 1,871.78 crore has so far been provided to 27.61 lakh students under these schemes.