NEW DELHI: The Bihar government has scrapped the provision of mandatory 75% attendance for students in government schools to avail of the benefits under the uniform and cycle scheme.
Education Minister Sunil Kumar announced this in the Legislative Council, saying that the decision was approved by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the state Cabinet.
Earlier, 75% attendance was among the eligible criteria for students to get financial assistance. Now, an estimated 1.8 crore students enrolled in government schools will receive the benefits annually, irrespective of their attendance.
Investment
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has emphasised Bihar’s increasing investment in education. The education budget, which stood at Rs 4,400 crore in 2005, has now surpassed Rs 60,000 crore. For higher education, Rs 5,885 crore has been allocated, leading to the appointment of over 2,000 assistant professors in colleges and universities.
Special educators will be appointed to support students with disabilities, ensuring better learning opportunities. Additionally, women’s participation in the teaching workforce has improved significantly, with 44% of Bihar’s six lakh teachers now being women.
Bihar has also witnessed a substantial increase in literacy rates. Nitish Kumar noted that the overall literacy rate, which stood at 40% in 2000, has now reached 80%. Female literacy has also seen significant growth, increasing from 34% to 74%.
Uniform and cycle schemes
The government has streamlined the financial assistance process under the uniform and cycle scheme. Funds will now be transferred directly to students’ bank accounts by April 1.
Uniform scheme benefits
Classes 1 & 2: Rs 600 per student
Classes 3 to 5: Rs 700 per student
Classes 6 to 8: Rs 1,000 per student
Classes 9 to 12: Rs 1,500 per student
Cycle scheme benefit
Class 9 students will receive Rs 3,000