AAP govt to extend free coaching to OBC, general category students

New Delhi: Buoyed by the success of its free coaching scheme 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', the AAP government has decided to extend it to needy students from general category and other backward classes.

Thirty-five underprivileged students, who got free coaching under the scheme, have cracked the JEE Main and NEET examination this year.

Five of them have secured admissions to leading technical and medical institutions such as Lady Hardinge College, IIT-Delhi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, National Institute of Technology Delhi and Banaras Hindu University.

Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam told PTI that the government was considering extending the scheme to needy students belonging to OBC and general category.

"At present, selected students are availing free coaching for four months. The Delhi government bears all expenses, up to Rs 50,000 per student. We are considering increasing this amount to Rs 1.5 lakh and the course duration to 12 months," the minister added.

Of the 107 students who got free coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams under the scheme, 13 have been declared successful in the JEE Main and 22 in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Under the scheme, launched by the AAP dispensation last year, as many as 4,953 students enrolled for availing coaching for various exams, including those conducted by the UPSC, SSC, banks, Railway Recruitment Board, Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board and insurance companies in 2018-19, the minister said.