Assam: The landlocked state of Assam is surely the place to look at for it has been accomplishing rare feat. From knocking off hazardous chemicals from store racks and becoming first organic state to being the cleanest state of the India, Assam has many firsts to its credit. Even as states across India are struggling to make education free for poor students, this tiny state, which is under the new BJP rule, has made higher education free for all poor students, whose family income is below Rs 1 lakh. This is touted to be the first of its kind decision on India!

Students going for higher secondary, three-year degree and polytechnic diploma courses from this year can avail free education if their parents come under the said income.

According to State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam is the first State to provide free education in higher secondary and above.

“This benefit will start immediately with the first batch of new admissions this year and will continue in the next coming years. The students do not have to pay a single penny as admission fee or as tuition fee or any other fee like sports, library or sports etc.” Sarma said.

Sarma also informed that this decision will cover 310 government and provincialised colleges across the state benefiting 50,000-60,000 students. The government is in talk with universities, medical colleges and engineering institutes which are autonomous, he said.

He added saying that Rs 70 crore of additional expenditure was expected and that would increase in the coming years.

The State government would be reimbursing all those educational institutes the loss they incur while admitting such students within two months after they submit the statements to directorate of higher education.

Sarma said that students will have to submit salary certificates or salary slips of their parents or certificates from circle officers will do for parents who do not have any source of earning to avail the benefit. He also stated that if a student is unable to provide any of the documents the principals or the admission committees of the institutes can use their wisdom to grant them the benefit.

Stating the motto, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, Sarma said that government will discuss and act against the private sector and not threat them.