Access to quality education is a fundamental right of every student. However, the financial aspect often hinders many students who aspire to pursue their ambition. Therefore, extension of financial support through scholarship programmes and financial aid have become increasingly significant for the educational development of youths in a country like India.
Many institutions and organisations recognise the value of education and offer several scholarships and funding schemes in various fields, including non-technical and technical domains. Through a multifaceted approach encompassing guidance, support, and resources, institutions serve as invaluable partners in empowering students in their academic pursuits. Institutions must continue to prioritise equitable access to scholarships and financial aid, thereby ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. In this article, we will discuss and explore how universities, institutions and other academic establishments can extend a helping hand and guide students to avail benefits offered by scholarship programmes and financial aid.
Guiding Institutions for Extending Support to Students – Essential Methods!
Schools and universities play a vital role in identification, awareness generation, sharing of real-time information and facilitating the application process to ensure timely assistance to those students who need financial support through scholarship programmes and initiatives on financial aid. This support plays a crucial role in motivating and retaining students ultimately leading to their success and better outcome. Institutions can guide students to scholarship and funding benefits by implementing effective strategies that help them finance their education without facing undue financial burden. Let us consider some of the important strategies that can guide and help academic institutions and relevant organisations in extension of much-needed timely support to students. They are as follows:
- Maintaining Database of Scholarship Programmes and Financial Aid Schemes: Creating and maintaining a comprehensive database of scholarship programmes and financial aid schemes is the first welcome step in this direction. This database should be regularly updated. There are several scholarship programmes and schemes that are renewed annually or launched afresh every year. It is vital to keep a watchful eye on the date, timing of the launch, application process and deadline including other relevant details. The database should include relevant scholarship programmes and financial aid schemes taking into account the target regions, eligible recipients and the objective of the programmes that it seeks to serve.
- Timely Dissemination of Information: Institutions should facilitate easy and timely access to these databases to the students. Timely dissemination and sharing of information is an important prerequisite in availing the benefits offered by scholarship programmes and funding opportunities.
- Identification of Target Beneficiaries: Identification of the intended recipients under a scholarship programme or a financial aid initiative within an institution involves an orderly and systematic approach with sincere adherence to fairness, transparency in alignment with the objective of the schemes and the goal of the scholarship programmes. Some of the most relevant steps that could be emulated by an institution can effectively help and identify the target beneficiaries of a scholarship programme among the available count of students. They are as follows:
- Defining and aligning the objectives and purpose with multiple criteria as mentioned below:
- Financial need
- Academic merit
- Specific fields of study
- Diversity criteria including other factors.
- Fair Assessment of Eligibility Criteria: Development of specific eligibility criteria on the basis of objectives of the scholarship schemes and programmes is vital. They are mentioned as under:
- Assessment of the financial need
- Benchmarks on academic performance
- Involvement in extracurricular activities
- Demonstrable leadership qualities
- Community involvement etc.
- Alignment of Student Data: Matching relevant data of the students to assess their eligibility under a scholarship scheme or programmes is really important. This may involve collecting the following information
- Family income
- Academic transcripts
- Standardized academic scores
- Letters of recommendation etc.
- Character certification and personal statements etc.
- Defining and aligning the objectives and purpose with multiple criteria as mentioned below:
- Supporting the Application Process: Institutions should have a dedicated financial cell, scholarship committee or panel staffed with knowledgeable professionals who can guide students throughout the scholarship application process. These offices can provide information on available scholarship programmes, application process, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and in getting the required documents needed for an application. Designing of an application process along with a review and evaluation process help streamline the the application process.
- One-to-One Session: One-to-One session is very helpful to those students who require hand holding and personalised guidance. Identifying relevant scholarship programmes matched to their needs, helping them draft a strong application, and resolving their queries or concerns should form the underlying basis of this One-to-One session. Academic counsellors can play a meaningful role in this session.
- Adherence to Timing: It is important to ensure adherence to application timeline, methods and procedures. Timely communication, seeking active involvement of the parents of the students and offering institutional support lead to timely completion of the scholarship application.
- Promotion and Awareness Generation: Awareness generation through the available channels and promotion of the benefits offered under a scholarship programme and funding opportunities on websites of the institution, students portals, social media platforms, or using the newsletters, bulletin boards, campus events etc, as an effective medium help build an instant connect. Several institutions nowadays have a dedicated student portal that can function as gateways to access available scholarship and funding benefits. Interlinking of major scholarship platforms with the portal/website of the institutions can simplify the search and application process for scholarship programmes and funding schemes. Using multiple communication channels such as email, website announcements, posters, and information sessions etc. facilitate reaching out to all eligible students.
- Leveraging the Potential of Alumni Networks: Alumni networks can be a potential resource for colleges. They can play a meaningful role in extending a helping hand in the following ways:
- Extension of Support by Previous Recipients of a Scholarship Programme
- Providing Career Guidance through Counselling Sessions
- Participating in Mentorship Programmes
- Involving and Networking with Students
- Extending Support through Donations and Fundraising Campaigns
- Arranging Workshops, Events on Financial Literacy Programs: Workshops and events encourage students to expand their networks and augment their knowledge on available forms of financial assistance programmes. Students can connect and interact and gain from like-minded individuals. Conducting sessions on financial literacy programs on budgeting, saving, credit and debt management, and financial planning etc. can help them prepare their future strategies on seeking financial credit supporting their educational endeavour. For example, the Jharkhand government recently introduced two schemes aimed at enhancing the reach of higher education to the students. The Guruji Student Credit Card and the Manki Munda Scholarship schemes can help several school students in removing obstacles hindering their pursuit of higher education. It should become the duty of the schools and academic institutions to increase awareness generation and facilitate the application process.
- Fair Assessment of Financial Position: Inquiries and fair assessment of financial position of the intended beneficiary is important in diversion of the benefits accruing from a scheme to the appropriate group. Extension of support, guidance and available financial assistance options through grants, scholarships, credit card schemes and subsidised loan programmes etc. by the institutions can follow thereafter.
- Ensuring Fairness and Transparency: It is important to ensure that the selection process of the students from the available pool is fair, transparent, and free from inherent biases. It is equally vital to maintain confidentiality of information and ensure ethical propriety throughout the selection process.
- Offering Guidance on Interviews and Drafting Essays: Organisations and academic institutions have the service of professional experts in several domains. They can equally and effectively play an important role in offering guidance and support in conducting mock interviews, drafting essays, writing personal statements or even preparing a CV for that matter with the support of professional experts. Sessions on brainstorming, reflection exercises, and interviews with the student or peer groups are very beneficial.
- Promoting a Culture of Excellence: Promoting a culture of excellence within an institution and the academic ecosystem is a critical requirement for fostering continuous growth. Motivating and inspiring merit, nurturing a learning environment where creativity, critical thinking, and continuous improvement are celebrated help in boosting the morale and reputation of the institution. Aligning matching scholarship programmes and financial schemes in a pervading culture of excellence becomes easy while ensuring a productive outcome.
- Collaboration and Partnership: Networking through collaborative partnerships with external organisations, businesses, foundations, and alumni networks etc. help generate and explore newer avenues for scholarship and funding opportunities meant for students. Collaborative scholarship programs, sponsorships, donations, and fundraising initiatives create newer grounds and broader range of funding opportunities meant for needy students.
Scholarship Programmes and Funding Opportunities
Some of the noteworthy examples of government initiatives aimed at providing financial assistance to students can be made available through institutional support. These schemes have been quite effective in helping students achieve their academic goals. Let us take a closer look at some of the notable examples mentioned below as a case in point.
The West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme
West Bengal’s government has introduced the Student Credit Card Scheme, offering interest-bearing loans up to ₹10 lakh to Indian students.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Students should be resident of West Bengal for at least 10 years and pursuing higher studies
- They should be under 40 years of age
Interest Rate:
- The scheme has an annual nominal interest rate of 4%, with a 1% interest concession if the interest is paid back in full within the study term.
Provider:
- State Cooperative Banks
- Associated Central and District Cooperative Banks
- Public and Private Sector Banks
- Cooperative Banks
Repayment Duration:
Repayment duration period is for 15 years.
Students can apply for loans in any school, college, university, coaching school, etc., located in India or abroad. Even the students enrolled in different coaching schools meant for competitive exams such as Engineering, Medical, Law, IAS, IPS, WBCS, etc., can apply for loans under this scheme.
Delhi Ladli Scheme
The Department of Women & Children Development launched the Delhi Ladli Scheme in 2008. The programme aims to promote social and economic advancement and provide financial aid through term deposits for women living in Delhi.
Scheme Outline of Delhi Ladli Scheme:
- A sum of ₹10,000 is provided for the birth of a child born at home and registered
- A sum of ₹11,000 is provided for the birth of a child born in a hospital and registered.
- Additionally, ₹5,000 is given for each of the following five stages of their education: Class 1, 6, 9, 11 and 12.
- The State Bank Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (SBIL) is responsible for managing the scheme’s funds.
Eligibility Criteria:
- To be eligible for the scheme, the girl must have a birth certificate issued by the Registrar (Births & Deaths), MCD/NDMC, indicating that she was born in Delhi.
- Annual income of the family should not exceed ₹1,00,000.
- The applicant must be a lawful resident of Delhi NCR resident, for at least three years prior to the girl child’s birth date.
- The benefit of the scheme is limited to two surviving girls per family.
Also Read: Scholarships for Indian Girls and Women
The Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme
The Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, introduced in October 2016, aims to provide financial assistance to students in Bihar who face financial constraints and are unable to complete their studies.
Eligibility Criteria:
- To become eligible under this scheme, applicants must be younger than 25 years on the date of loan application
- He or she should be enrolled in an educational institution approved by the relevant regulatory body in Bihar.
Benefits:
- Eligible students who have completed their 12th grade can apply for education loans up to ₹4 lakh at a basic interest rate of 4%.
- Transgender applicants, PwD, and female applicants can avail the benefits of the loan scheme at a 1% lower interest rate.
- Students are not required to pay interest on the loan for a year following the completion of the course or for six months following the acquisition of work, whichever comes first.
The loan amount can be used to pursue a range of professional and technical degrees, including management, law, engineering, MBBS, and general higher education courses like BA and B.Sc. However, technical and managerial courses are exempt from this clause.
The Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme
The Guruji Credit Card Scheme has been launched recently by the government of Jharkhand to facilitate access to higher education by offering financial aid to 12th-grade students who have passed their Class 12 examination in the State of Jharkhand but find themselves unable to pursue higher education for financial reasons. The goal of the state government is to raise Jharkhand’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) to a level that is comparable to the national average.
Benefits:
- Under this initiative, 1500 students can avail collateral-free education loans up to ₹15 lakh at an annual interest rate of 4%.
- The repayment of the loan begins one year after the completion of the course with the government serving as the guarantor.
- The purpose of the scheme is to assist students in pursuing higher education, including professional degrees, at any university and other associated institutions both domestic and abroad.
The Manki Munda Scholarship
The Manki Munda Scholarship scheme was launched in February 2024 by the government of Jharkhand. It aims to incentivise girls to pursue technical education. Students pursuing studies in high school, B.Tech, BE, Polytechnic and Engineering courses can apply under this scholarship scheme. Every semester, a minimum of 50% marks will be required to qualify for the benefits under the scheme.
Benefits:
- Selected female candidates will receive a scholarship of ₹15,000 each year under this scholarship programme to pursue diploma courses
- A sum of ₹30,000 will be awarded annually to candidates enrolled in engineering programmes.
- Additionally, the annual family income should not exceed ₹4 lakh. The scholarship amount will be deposited in the bank account of candidates by using the direct bank transfer method.
- The duration of the scholarship amount will depend on the marks scored in the pursuing year.
How will the academic institutions, organisations play an important role in extending support to the students under the West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme, Delhi Ladli Scheme, Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme and Manki Munda Scholarship programmes?
Academic institutions can play a vital role by pursuing the following measures:
- Organising awareness campaigns or workshops to educate students about the features, eligibility criteria, and application process of the Student Credit Card Scheme.
- This will ensure clarity of information and increased understanding of the requirements.
- Counselling students on financial planning, loan repayment etc.
- Discussing career prospects after availing the credit card scheme
- Addressing concerns, queries, and doubts of the students
- Documentation procedure for the credit card application.
- Providing guidance on obtaining necessary certificates, transcripts, and other relevant documents
- Collaborating with financial institutions participating in the scheme through partnerships for smoother communication and processing of credit card applications for eligible students.
- Keeping students informed and updated with relevant information. They are as follows:
- Informing and updating the students on changes related to the credit card scheme
- Sharing information on the revised terms and conditions, interest rates, or repayment options etc.
- Keeping students informed and updated with relevant information. They are as follows:
- Monitoring and following the credit card application and extending support as and when required will ensure that students receive timely financial assistance.
By actively involving and supporting students through these measures, academic institutions can contribute significantly to facilitating students’ access to the benefits accruing from the West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme, Delhi Ladli Scheme, Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme and Manki Munda Scholarship programmes while
promoting the educational and career aspirations of the target groups.
Also Read: How to Apply for a Scholarship through Buddy4Study: A Step-by-Step Guide
Scholarships and financial aid have become a crucial support system for several students from the deprived sections of Indian society who have it in them but lack the means to pursue their higher education. By pursuing the aforementioned strategies, schools, institutions and organisations can play a truly meaningful role in extending much needed support in obtaining scholarships and loan benefits without imposing undue financial burden on them. It is important to understand that investing in students’ education through scholarship and funding benefits not only benefits individual students but also contributes to the overall growth and development of the nation. By promoting inclusivity and accessibility, institutions can enhance educational opportunities for individuals and contribute to the advancement of society as a whole.
Also Read: Got a Scholarship? Time to Thank Your Scholarship Providers Now!
FAQs
How many types of scholarship programmes are available to students?
A: There are different types of scholarship programmes available to students, such as need-based, merit-based, and those based on characteristics like sports, caste and communities, area of study etc.
What is the West Bengal Student Credit Card scheme?
A: The West Bengal Student Credit Card scheme offers loans up to ₹10 lakh for eligible applicants pursuing higher studies. The interest rate is 4% per year, with a 1% concession if repaid in full within the study term. Repayment is spread over 15 years and available to students pursuing their studies in any school, college, university or coaching school in India or abroad. The loan is provided by several banks, including the State Cooperative Banks.
What is the Delhi Ladli scheme?
A: The Delhi Ladli Scheme is a welfare initiative launched by the Delhi government in 2008 that provides financial aid to eligible families with girl children born in Delhi. The programme offers a sum of up to ₹11,000. Additionally, ₹5,000 each is given for five educational milestones.
What is the Bihar Student Credit Card scheme?
A: The Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme offers education loans of up to ₹4 lakh at a 4% interest rate for students under the age of 25 years pursuing technical and professional degrees. Transgender, PwD, and female applicants are eligible for a 1% lower interest rate. The loan is repayable six months after finding work or a year after completing the course.
How can institutions help their students finance their education?
A: In addition to offering scholarships and funding, an institution can assist students in financing their education through grants, work-study opportunities, facilitating student loans and tuition payment plans, and extending counselling services on financial assistance.
How can events and workshops help students to get scholarship and funding benefits?
A: Events and workshops can help students generate financial awareness by shedding light on essential topics like money management, effective scholarship search, application process etc. They also serve as a platform to engage with like-minded individuals and discover new opportunities.
How can institutions aid students in getting the scholarship and funding opportunities?
A: Institutions can actively help students obtain the best scholarship and funding benefits by the following methods:
- Generating awareness, providing guidance and help on scholarships and the application process.
- Organising events and workshops on necessary topics.
- Collaboration with external entities to expand opportunities.
- Maintaining a database and portals for streamlined information.
- Through communication and identification of targeted beneficiaries.
