The Odisha government has officially commenced the online registration process for students hailing from farming families under the extended ‘KALIA Scholarship’ scheme. This initiative, aimed at providing financial assistance, is now open for registration until January 31.
Modified Guidelines and Expanded Opportunities
The government has introduced modifications to the scheme, broadening its scope to include students pursuing technical and professional courses in private institutes both within and outside the state. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed the government’s commitment to enhancing the prospects of farmer’s families by supporting their children in professional and technical institutions.
New Criteria for Scholarship Eligibility
According to the updated guidelines revealed on Monday, the scholarship will now cover students enrolling in professional and technical courses such as engineering, medical, agriculture, nursing, diploma programs, and various trades in ITI. This applies to both government and private institutions, provided they have an AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education) code. Additionally, premier institutions like IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIMs, ICAR, IARI, IISER, NISER, IVRI, CIFE, NDRI, and others are included.
Duration and Coverage of the Scholarship
Unlike the previous criteria that limited scholarships to government institutions within the state, the new guidelines extend support to students attending premier institutions nationally. The scholarship duration is set at a maximum of two years for postgraduate courses and four years for PhD programs, with the condition that the PhD courses must align with eligible postgraduate courses offered by government institutions within the state.
Enrollment Update and Future Goals
Since its launch in 2021-22, the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation Scholarship (KALIA) scheme has enrolled 1,789 students. The primary objective of the KALIA Scholarship is to facilitate the inclusion of a maximum number of students from the families of small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural laborers.
Financial Support Mechanism
For students in private institutions and premier institutions, the scholarship amount will be disbursed according to the approved rates, as outlined in an official release. This step is taken to ensure equitable financial support for students pursuing diverse professional and technical courses.