Government Schemes for Girls’ Higher Education in India

Although India is progressing and developing, there are many regions where discrimination against girl-child is still in action due to male domination and a patriarchal society. The sex ratio of 896 females to 1000 males showed how people decide the value of life based on gender. 

Even before the child is conceived, the girl-child has to go through discrimination. Female infanticide and female foeticide are disturbing phenomena, but are still frequent occurrences in most regions of India. She has to consider herself fortunate if the family decides to let the child be born. This deep-rooted stereotype and gender norms hindered the talent of various young ladies whilst pushing them towards the traditional gender role passed down by generations. 

She has to go through injustice and bigotry right after her birth. Facing injustice in each step of her life, she is forced to look down upon her own life. Neglecting her needs and providing low portions of food compared to her male siblings, and not permitting her to attend school are some of the problems faced by a girl-child.

In the rural areas, the girl children are only limited to household chores and looking after others. As a result, many talented young women are not able to fully unlock their potential and contribute to the nation. Considering the number of obstacles and with an aim to change the social attitude towards girl children and uplift their status in society, the Indian education system has taken several decisions towards women empowerment in India, especially in rural areas. 

Over the decades or so, the central government and the state governments have taken up many measures and launched many schemes to promote the well-being of a girl-child in rural areas and backward classes. In this article, we will look into certain schemes with their objectives and other criteria in detail. 

List of Different Government Schemes for the Advancement of Girls’ Education in India

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
• Cbse Udaan Scheme
• National Scheme of Incentives for Girls for Secondary Education
• Dhanalakshmi Scheme
• Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana
• Mukhyamantri Laadli Yojana
• Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme
• Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
• Balika Samriddhi Yojana
• Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana
• Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
• Bhagyalakshmi Scheme

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

Introduced and launched on 22nd January 2015 by the Prime Minister of India in response to the declining sex ratio over the past few years due to gender-based abortions. The key focus of this scheme is to spread social awareness of gender-based discrimination, save girl children, and promote girl-child education in India.

The scheme provides financial assistance for the healthcare and education of a girl child. The scheme is implemented as a result of collaboration between state governments & union territories and relevant central departments. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Prevention of elimination of a child based on gender.
• Ensuring protection of girl children.
• Promoting the participation and education of girl children. 

The Beneficiaries of this Scheme Include

• Married Couples, Pregnant mothers, and Parents constitute the first group.
• Adolescent people, the youth of India,d doctors, private hospitals, nursing homes, and diagnostic centers constitute the second group. 
• General people of the country, religious leaders, frontline workers, voluntary organizations, media, and women SHG sector. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• A family with a girl-child below 10 years of age.
• A family with a girl-child with a Sukanya Samraddhi Account registered under their name in a nationalized bank. 

Documents Required

• Birth Certificate of the girl-child.
• Passport-size photograph.
• Proof of Identity of parents. (Aadhar or Ration Card)
• Proof of Address. (passport, electricity bill, water bill)

Application Process

• Visit a nearby post office or a bank and get the application form.
• Fill out all the details and attach the necessary documents with them.
• Submit the documents with applications to the concerned official to get the account opened in the name of the beneficiary.

CBSE Udaan Scheme

CBSE Udaan is a national-level scheme launched by the Board of CBSE under the aegis of MHRD (Ministry of Resources and Development) in 2014. The aim is to increase the enrollment of girl students in technical education institutes and encourages those who are interested to pursue a career in the engineering stream. 

 CBSE Udaan scheme provides weekly virtual classes for those enrolled and trains them for Engineering Entrance Exams such as JEE and more. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• To address the low enrollment of girl students in technical education institutes and provide an opportunity to pursue a career in Engineering.
• Empower girl students by encouraging their aspirations through financial assistance. 
• Provides free tablets with pre-loaded content and study material to prepare for the examination. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Girls studying in Class X or Class 12th are eligible for this scheme.
• Annual family income should be less than 6 lakhs per annum. 
• Should have PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) as their subjects in Class XI
• The girl must be a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, CBSE Affiliated Private Schools, Government school of any board.
• 70% overall marks & a CGPA of 8 and 80% marks or CGPA of 9 in Science and Mathematics in Class 10th.

Documents Required

• Passport-sized Photo.
• Aadhar Card.
• Resident Proof.
• Birth Certificate.
• Caste Certificate.
• 10th Marksheet.
• 10th Certificate.

Application Process

• Eligible Students are required to apply or enroll in this scheme through CBSE main website.
• Fill out the application form and take a print of it. 
• Submit the application form with the required documents to the city coordinator of your chosen city.
• Once it’s approved by the coordinator, the application is signed.
• If you are selected, an email or SMS will be sent to you with the information.

National Scheme of Incentives for Girls for Secondary Education

Launched in May 2008, NSIGSE aims to promote the secondary school education of girl students. For girl students who cleared Class VIII and wish to continue their education, this scheme helps them out. It also ensures in reduction of the drop rate of girl students from schools. 

The main of this scheme is girls belonging to SC/ST communities and prevent their retention until they are of age 18. A sum of 3k rupees is deposited in the name of eligible unmarried girls as a fixed deposit on enrolment of class IX who can then withdraw the amount with interest after completing 18 years and the class X examination.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• To reduce the drop rate of girl students and promote advancement in the education of girl students. 
• Ensure retention up to the age of 18 years. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Girls who have completed class VIII and belong to SC/ST community.
• All girls who have passed class VIII from Kasturba Vidyalaya irrespective of the community they belong to. 

Documents Required

• All the soft copies of the documents are to be uploaded while applying.
• Passport-size photo.
• Aadhar card.
• Proof of Address.
• Previous examination mark sheet.

Application Process

• Open the portal of NSP and register yourself. 
• If you haven’t registered already, click on ‘New Registration’ to continue with the registration on the portal.
• If you have registered already, click on the Login option to proceed further.
• Select the NSIGSE scheme.
• Enter the application form details.
• Enter submit and wait for the confirmation. 

Dhanalakshmi Scheme

On 3 March 2008, the Ministry of Women and Children Department in collaboration with LIC launched a scheme called Dhanalakshmi Scheme to prevent child marriages and value the life of a girl-child, never treating them as a liability. 

This scheme provides attractive insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh if the girl hasn’t been married and turned 18 and a 5k cash incentive in the beginning. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Prevention of child marriage and encouraging parents to send off their girl-child to receive an education.
• Ensuring the safety of girl children and promoting girl education. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• A girl child born after November 8, 2008, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
• Despite the number of girl children in the family, everyone was eligible.
• The girl child should be a resident of India. 

Documents Required

• Birth Certificate of the Girl Child.
• Proof of Identity of parents.
• Passport-size photograph. 
• Proof of Address. 

Application Process

• To register for this scheme, visit the scheme’s official page.
• After you access the portal, the homepage lands in front of you.
• Click on the registration tab and hit submit. 
• Or download the Dhanalakshmi Scheme form and fill it out manually. 

Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana

Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana was implemented and launched by the Government of Rajasthan to grant a subsidy of 50,000 to families having a girl child. This scheme aims on securing the future of the girl child and ensuring them a bright future by promoting girl education. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• The main objective of this scheme is to prevent and eradicate gender-based discrimination, child mortality, and child marriages. 
• Promote girl education and keep advancing in education till their wish. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Must be a native of Rajasthan.
• Only eligible to those girls who were born in private institutions registered with Government hospitals and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).
• The parents will receive installments if their first-born and even the second-born is a girl-child. But if the third child is a girl, they would not receive the benefit. 

Documents Required

• Birth certificate(s) of the girl child/children.
• Bamashah Card.
• Application form (Duly filled)
• Identity Proof. (Aadhar card, PAN card, Voter ID card)
• Address Proof. (Aadhar card, utility bill, telephone bill, etc.)
• Passport-size photographs.
• Bank account statement.
• Application of the scheme.

Application Process

To apply for the form online, 

• The applicants are requested to visit the government hospital where they need to contact the health officer concerned of the district taluka of Rajasthan to apply for the scheme. 
• The benefits of this scheme can be availed by contacting the Collector’s Office, Zilla Panchayat office, or the Education office.
• Attach the documents with the application form and submit it to the concerned officials. 
• Wait till it gets verified by the respective officials.
• Upon verification, the applicant receives notice regarding further reference.

Mukhyamantri Ladli Yojana

Mukhyamantri Ladli Yojana or Ladli Laxmi Yojana was launched by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in the year 2007 to spread awareness among the locals and reduce the negativity towards the birth of a girl-child. The scheme benefits the girl children born after 1st January 2006 among non-tax paying families and the girl orphans. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Complete eradication of female infanticide/foeticide.
• Improve the girl-child ratio and promote girl education. 
• Elimination of Child Marriage.
• Improve Health and Education status of girl-child in society.
• Create a positive environment towards the birth of a female child in the general public.
• Providing a good foundation for the better future of girl children. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Must be a native of Madhya Pradesh.
• Applicable for those who are not married under the age of 18.
• Should be born on or after January 1, 2006.
• The girl child needs to be registered in the local Anganwadi center. 
• The application should be submitted within a year of the child’s birth to avail of its benefits. 
• The scheme is valid only for people below the poverty line.

Documents Required

• The application form is available on the main website of Ladli Laxmi Yojana.
• Identity proof and Family ID of the girl child.
• Photograph of the girl-child with her parents.
• In the case of a second girl child, the family should have a family planning certificate.   

Application Process

• Open the website mp.gov.in and click on the apply tab to proceed further.
• Check in the checkbox and click on the ‘go ahead’ to move forward to the next step.
• Read the instructions carefully and fill out the form as instructed. 
• Click on the save to apply the form.
• Upload the soft copies of the required documents on the website with the application form.
• Click on the submit tab to move further with the application. 

Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme

The government of Maharashtra started this scheme in April 2016 for all the girl children across the state by Devendra Fadnavis. The scheme aims at the overall development of the girl child in society and promotes girl education on a broader scale. The scheme provides a cash incentive of 50k if there is one girl-child in the family and suppose there are two girl children, the government splits the amount into 25k each for each girl-child. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Eradication of female foeticide and female infanticide.
• Increase in the female education percentage. 
• Financial assistance for financially weaker families. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• The applicants must be residents of Maharashtra. 
• The annual family income should not cross more than 7.5 lakhs.
• Even girl children who are orphans will be able to attain the benefits of this scheme for their bright future. 

Documents Required

• Proof of Address. (Aadhar card, Ration card)
• Income certificate.
• Birth certificate of the girl-child.
• Medical documents of the parents.
• Bonafide certificate.
• Bank account details. 

Application Process

• All applicants must undergo offline registration of the application to enroll themselves in the scheme.
• The applicants are requested to download the form from the link: https://www.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/Upload/Government%20Resolutions/English/201602261720426830.pdf and fill it out.
• Attach the necessary documents with the application form.
• Completing all this, the applicants should submit the form with the documents to the concerned official. 

Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana

Designed and implemented by the government of Uttarakhand in association with the Woman and Childen department of Uttarakhand, Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana to empower the girl-child. This scheme is for families below the poverty line with only a girl-child in their family. It secures the financial security of the girl-child for future education and healthy life.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Provides overall financial assistance to families with only a girl-child.
• To improve the health and education status of the girl children.
• Ensure a better future for girl children.
• Eradication of child marriage and female foeticide. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Must be a resident of Uttarakhand. 
• The family’s annual income should not exceed more than Rs. 42,000 for urban areas and Rs. 36000 for rural areas. 
• Applicants must belong to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. 
• Only two girl-child from a single family benefit from this scheme. 

Documents Required

• Aadhar Card.
• Domicile Certificate.
• Income Certificate.
• Birth Certificate of Girl Child.
• BPL Certificate.
• Maternal Child Protection Card.

Application Process

• Applicants should visit the nearest Anganwadi Kendra in Uttarakhand state. 
• If not, Applicants can also contact the Ministry of Women and Children Welfare of Uttarakhand state and proceed further.  

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

A sub-scheme developed as a part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, Sukanya Samriddhi was launched to benefit the girl-child of the family. The parent or the guardian of the child who is age 10 or lesser than that can open an account under this scheme and ensure a high rate of interest and several tax benefits.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Launched to financially assist the parents for better funding of education and future of girl-child of their family.
• Creation of sufficient corpus which can be later used for meeting your child’s goals. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• The girl-child must be of age 10 or below that. The tenure of the account is till the girl is of 21 years.
• An individual girl-child cannot have multiple Sukanya accounts.
• Only two accounts are permitted per family, that is two girl children of the same family are eligible to apply.

Documents Required

• Birth Certificate of the girl-child.
• SSA-1 form.
• Identity proof (Aadhar card, PAN card)
• Address Proof (Voter ID, Utility bill, Aadhar card)

Application Process

• Visit the nearest bank or the post office.
• Fill out the application for Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana also known as FORM SSA-1 and submit it to the bank/post office with the above-mentioned documents.
• Pay your first deposit. The minimum deposit amount is Rs. 250/-. The maximum deposit amount is around 1.5 lakhs. 
• After a few days, the bank processes the application and verifies your form.
• With this, the account will be opened and a passbook will be issued. 

Balika Samriddhi Yojana

Launched in the year 1997 by the central government, Balika Samriddhi Yojana is a scheme aimed towards a bright future and healthy life for girl students. This initiative is for all girl students irrespective of caste, or socio-economic status. They focus on girls born in economically weaker sections and ensure that they have the privilege to have better primary and secondary education.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Spreading positivity into society and the mindsets of the family towards the negativity of the birth of a girl-child. 
• Promote girl education and secure their future.
• Enhancing the enrolment rate in the schools and reducing the drop-out rate.
• Suitably raising girl children until they reach the age of marriage. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Families falling under the BPL category in the rural zone recognized by the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana are the beneficiaries of this scheme. 
• For people in urban areas, they will be recognized under BSY.
• Members of the family working as fruit or vegetable vendors, or rag pickers will have the benefit.
• Girl children born on or after August 1997 who belong to the BPL category also benefit from this scheme.
• All benefits are given to a maximum of two girl children irrespective of the total number of children in each family.

Documents Required

• Birth certificate of the girl-child.
• Proof of Address (Aadhar card, utility bill, water bill, etc)
• Proof of Identity (PAN card, Aadhar card, Voter ID)

Application Process

• Application forms are available in nearby Anganwadi centers in Rural zones and Health Department functionaries. 
• Fill out the application form with all the details needed.
• Submit the form with the necessary documents necessary to the same platform where you got it. from. 

Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana

Implemented and launched in the year 2008 by the government of Bihar, this scheme was specially made for the future security and safety of the girl child. This scheme contributes Rs. 2000/- to every girl-child belonging to a below-poverty-line family. This amount is invested by the Women and Children Department of Patna under the government of Bihar into UCO and IDBI banks of Bihar.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• Prevention of female foeticide.
• To improve the sex ratio in the state.
• To promote and encourage birth registration of a girl-child.
• To promote girl education.

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Must be a native of Bihar.
• Girl children born on or after November 22, 2007, are eligible.
• This scheme is valid for up to two girl children of a single family. 
• Eradication of child marriage. 

Documents Required

• Birth certificate or registration certificate.
• Filled out the application form.
• Identity proof: PAN card, Aadhar card.
• Address proof: Aadhar card, Electricity bill, utility bill, etc.
• Passport-size photographs.
• Bank account statement.

Application Process

• Visit a nearby Anganwadi Center and get the application form.
• Fill it with the help of the officials.
• Apply with all the documents attached to the concerned official.
• The Anganwadi center then passes it on to the Block Officer where the verification takes place.
• After verification, the amount will be transferred to the account of the beneficiary.

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya

This scheme was launched by the Government of India in August 2008. This scheme aimed to build residential schools for girl children to complete their upper school. This scheme is launched over 27 states, including union territories of India. To ensure and access quality education for girls of disadvantaged groups, this scheme was specifically designed to deliver this. 

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• To increase the enrolment rate of girls in the schools.
• To encourage the birth of a girl-child.
• Feasible access to quality education for the underprivileged. 

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Girl children belonging to minority communities such as SC, ST, OBC, and BPL families.
• Girl students in the age group of 14-18 years.
• Girls belonging to regions of low female-literacy level.
• Exceptional cases where the girl couldn’t complete their primary education.

Documents Required

• Birth certificate of the girl child.
• Caste certificate.
• BPL card.
• Primary education completion certificate.

Application Process

• Visit the nearby KGBV school and get your child enrolled there.
• Fill up the admission form with the documents attached.

Bhagyalakshmi Scheme

Implemented by the government of Karnataka, the Bhagyalakshmi scheme was launched to promote the birth of a girl-child in a family and provide financial assistance to those families. They provide child insurance of up to Rs. 25000/- and an annual scholarship of Rs. 300/- to Rs. 1000/-.

The Objectives of This Scheme Are

• To increase the status of a girl-child in the family and thereby increase it in society as well. 
• To promote the birth of a girl-child in economically weaker families and increase their status.
• To provide financial assistance to the girl children to ensure their future and safety.

Eligibility Criteria to Avail the Benefits of This Scheme

• Girl children born in or after 31 March 2006 belonging to BPL families are eligible.
• This scheme is valid for only two girl children of the same family.
• The girl children must not be doing child labouring. 

Documents Required

• Birth certification of the girl-child.
• Identity proof: PAN card, Aadhar card.
• Address proof: Aadhar card, Utility bill, water bill.
• Bank account statement.
• Caste certificate.

Application Process

• Open the main website of Bhagyalakshmi Yojana of Karnataka.
• Click on the application form link.
• The pdf of the form is generated. Download it and fill in the details.
• Attach the mentioned documents with it.
• Submit it to the concerned official.