Free higher education for ‘poor meritorious students’

The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the All Assam Students’ Association (AASA), which would allow 300 ‘poor meritorious students’ from Nagaland to study ‘Engineering, Medicinal and Management Courses’ free of cost from different institutes in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

Termed as the Free Higher Professional Education Scheme for National Backward Minority Students, the ENSF-ASSA initiative is based on the Free Reimbursement Scheme sponsored by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. According to AASA representatives, the AP government has agreed to accommodate 1000 students from the North East under this scheme from this year onward.

“This opportunity may be availed by 50% students from Assam, 30% from Nagaland, 10% from Manipur, 10% from Meghalaya and 10% from Tripura and Mizoram,” according to an AASA statement. The AASA was formed in 2009, initially, to work for the safety of students studying outside. Under this scheme, eligible students could complete their courses free of cost as their total expense would be incurred by the AP government.

The AASA officials told a press conference today that they have decided to extend their hand to the ENSF after taking note of the ‘condition of students’ in the area covering the eastern part of Nagaland. The ENSF and its federating units have been charged with the responsibility of identifying the eligible, poor and meritorious, students from Nagaland.

Some of the main criteria include, at least 50% marks aggregate, 10+2 from a recognized university and income limit of no more than Rs Two lakhs per annum for the students’ parents. The official stated, “Finally, a panel of 400 students will be prepared on the basis of evaluation, both merit and economic status. Out of this, top 300 hundred students will be given opportunity for free study.” ENSF officials said that ‘apart from four backward districts of Eastern Nagaland, preference shall also be given to those least represented communities.’ Interested students can avail the forms form the offices of the ENSF federating units.