Underprivileged students to benefit from free coaching scheme laid out by AAP Government

NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the success of its free coaching scheme 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has decided to extend it to underprivileged students from the general category and other backward classes.

Thirty-five underprivileged students, who got free coaching under the scheme, have cracked the JEE Main and NEET examinations this year.

Five of them have secured admissions to leading technical and medical institutions such as Lady Hardinge College, IIT-Delhi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, National Institute of Technology Delhi and Banaras Hindu University.

Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam told news agency Press Trust of India that the government was considering extending the scheme to needy students belonging to OBC and general category.

"At present, selected students are availing free coaching for four months. The Delhi government bears all expenses, up to Rs. 50,000 per student. We are considering increasing this amount to Rs. 1.5 lakh and the course duration to 12 months," the minister added.

Of the 107 students who got free coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams under the scheme, 13 have been declared successful in the Joint Entrance Examination JEE Main and 22 in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Under the scheme, launched by the AAP dispensation last year, as many as 4,953 students enrolled for availing coaching for various exams, including those conducted by the UPSC, SSC, banks, Railway Recruitment Board, Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board and insurance companies in 2018-19, the minister said.