Bihar approves aid for EBC civil services aspirants

The Bihar government on Tuesday approved a scheme where Extreme Backward Caste (EBC) students cracking the civil services preliminary tests conducted by the UPSC and the BPSC will get Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 respectively, an official said.

The decision, taken at a state Cabinet meeting here chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, comes a week after the government approved a similar proposal for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students.

"The state government is committed to providing better studying facilities to EBC students who appear for civil services examination.

"The aim is to ensure that EBC students who crack the preliminary test concentrate on the main examination rather than worry about the monetary expenses that will be incurred to pursue their dreams," Principal Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat Department Arun Kumar Singh told the media.

In another decision, the government approved a proposal to provide Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to students living in minority hostels of the Welfare Department.

Principal Secretary of the Minorities Welfare Department Amir Subhani said at present, there are 33 minority welfare hostels in which 350 students are living.

The government has proposed to build 11 more such hostels and decided to open special residential schools at the district level to provide free food and lodging to minority students from Class 9 to Class 12, he said.

Last week, the government approved a proposal of the SC-ST Welfare Department to provide an assistance of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 to SC-ST students who pass the preliminary test for the civil services exams held by the Union Public Service Commission and the Bihar Public Service Commission respectively.

It is seen as a move to woo SC/ST, EBC and minorities ahead of the 2019 polls.

--IANS

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