Dr. YS Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojna: Propelling Himachal into a new era of inclusive quality education
In the heart of the Himalayas, dreams soar as high as the peaks themselves. Here education isn’t a privilege – it’s a bedrock of opportunity that is accessible to all. Inspired by the timeless wisdom of Rabindranath Tagore ‘Education is not a privilege but a basic human right that should be accessible to all’, the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is propelling Himachal Pradesh into a new era of education and inclusivity.
To strengthen the education sector, the government has undertaken numerous initiatives, including fulfilling its Assembly election guarantee of starting English medium from class 1 in all government schools, opening Rajiv Gandhi Model Day-Boarding Schools in all of the assembly constituencies of the state, upgrading 850 educational institutes to Institutes of Excellence in the year 2024-25 among others.
Another commendable government initiative includes the introduction of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojna – a beacon of hope for Himachali youth showcasing the government’s determination to create a state where financial barriers cease to exist, especially when it comes to availing quality education. The Chief Minister is ensuring that every ambitious soul has open access to not just primary and secondary level education but also to higher education, that too anywhere in the country. Under this groundbreaking initiative, eligible students of the state, aged under 28, are getting to access to education loans of a maximum of 20 lakh rupees at a nominal interest rate of just one percent.
The loan covers boarding, lodging, tuition fees, books, and other educational expenses of students pursuing diplomas, degrees, or doctoral studies. From engineering studies to life-saving Medical, Para-Medical, Pharmacy, and Nursing education; from Management to Law and any technical courses to ITIs/Polytechnic, students can now chase their dreams with unwavering confidence without bothering about fee payment and other monetary expenses.
To avail the benefits, students must have attained a minimum of 60 per cent marks in their previous class and the student should belong to a family with an annual income not exceeding Rs. 4 lakh. The benefits under the Dr. YSP Vidyarthi Rin Yojna are being provided from the academic year 2023-24 starting from 1st April 2023, irrespective of the date of sanction of the education loan.
Eligible students can avail the benefits by visiting the website of the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) https://education.hp.gov.in, reading the scheme guidelines, and downloading the application form from the notice board. After filling out the form, an applicant has to submit a scanned document through edurindhesml2023@gmail.com. The DHE will verify the document within two working days and will send an e-mail to the applicant, Deputy Commissioner, and to the concerned bank. If any applicant has opted for a corpus fund the concerned DC will release the first installment from the corpus fund within 24 hours in the bank account of the institution where the applicant is seeking admission.
With the implementation of the Dr. YSP Vidyarthi Rin Yojna, it seems that the dawn of a new era has arrived, where education knows no bounds and every learner is empowered to shape its own and state’s future.
