Govt to help more girls get into engg institutes
Will train girls from disadvantaged families
MUMBAI: The ministry of human resource development has launched a special project to help more girl students enrol in engineering colleges. The project, Udaan, will help girl students prepare for entrance tests to premier engineering institutes – such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITS) – across the country.
Starting this year, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will, every year, select 1,000 girls studying in Classes 6 to 12 from disadvantaged families. These girls will not only be trained through online and offline resources, but will also receive certain special incentives.
According to CBSE officials, girls form a mere 23% of the enrollment in the country’s premier engineering institutes.
“The special focus of project Udaan is to address the low enrollment ratio of girl students in prestigious engineering institutions… and to enable girl students to receive special incentives and support so that they can join these institutions and go on to take leadership roles in the future,” read a circular issued by the CBSE on Monday.
The project aims at reducing the quality gap between school education and engineering education entrance systems by focusing on the three dimensions – curriculum design, transaction and assessment, stated the circular.
The project will also attempt to improve science and mathematics at the school level. “The aim is also to enrich and enhance teaching and learning of science and mathematics at the senior secondary level by providing free and online resources,” added the circular.
The MHRD will also introduce PRAGATI (Providing Assistance for Girls Advancement in Technical Education Initiative) – a new scholarship for girls. Girls, whose family income is less than Rs6 lakh per annum, will be eligible for this scholarship.
Every year, 4,000 girls will get be selected for this scholarship, which will comprise Rs30,000 or tuition fees, and Rs2,000 per month for 10 months.