Patna: During election battle, a resonance with demands and promises of loan waiver of the farmer is the current trend, Nitish Kumar in Bihar has come up with a decision of ‘Loan Waiver for Students’. While addressing a rally in Durgawati block in Kaimur district, CM made an announcement on waiving student loan if students fail to get a job after completing their professional courses.
He said, “Those students bearing facility of the loan through Student Credit Card (SCC) do not get a job, their loan will be waived by the government. And if the job comes in hand then students can pay back the loan in 82 easy instalments.”
The Chief Minister laid emphasis on the importance of education and to increase awareness on it. “The national Gross Enrollment Ratio (GRE) is 24 per cent whereas Bihar has 13% but we aspire to take it to 30 per cent and later increase it to 35 and 40 per cent,” said Nitish Kumar.
He advised to give importance to girl’s education and made those present in the audience to take a pledge on education to girls and inspired parents to carry forward the message.
It should be mentioned that under SCC scheme, Class 12 pass students can get loans for further education – be it technical or general. Matric pass students can also avail of the facility for financing their polytechnic studies.
Under SCC, the students will have to pay 4 per cent interest on the loan they have taken. It is just 1 per cent for differently-abled, transgender and female students. During the last 10 years, the number of girl students enrolled in high schools has crossed nine lakh from one lakh.
In 2018, Bihar State Education Finance Corporation (BSEFC) came into existence which was done to provide loans of up to Rs 4 lakh under the SCC scheme to students who want to continue their education beyond Intermediate. Couple of months back, the same announcement had hit the public domain but the main point remains in its implementation on the ground.
