Delhi govt to provide free coaching to 15,000 students this year

Delhi government will provide free coaching to 15,000 students belonging to marginal communities and economically weaker sections this year, said state Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Tuesday.

Briefing mediapersons, Gautam said, "Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana was made in Delhi for school children who want to become doctors, engineers, civil servants or serve any other government jobs. Many children are there from poor sections and want to study but their parents do not have enough money so that they can send them to coaching institutes. The scheme was made keeping these children in mind."

Children belonging to scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), other backward classes (OBC) and those whose parents have an annual income of up to Rs 8 lakh can avail the scheme.

Delhi government has tied up with 46 private coaching centres for running the scheme that covers a wide range of competitive exams including UPSC, CDS, banking exams, medical and engineering entrances, top law university entrances and B school entrances.

"This time we have a target of providing coaching to 15,000 children. We have tied up with 46 institutes in Delhi, to whom we will pay fees so that children will take coaching there," he emphasised.

The minister said under this scheme, around 5,000 SC/ST children were provided free coaching in 2018-19. However, the COVID pandemic brought a halt to the scheme. The AAP leader said since the situation has started becoming normal, the government has planned to resume the scheme to benefit children.