Free coaching for SC and STs

Shimla, May 31 (UNI) The Centre is providing free coaching and other schemes for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and other backward classes whose parents and guardians' income was less than Rs One lakh per annum, Director, Social Justice and Empowerment Subhasish Panda today said.

Under the scheme, reputed institutions and centres run by state government and universities, including deemed universities and private sector organisations, would be provided grant for the running of various courses including group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), he said in a release here.

Mr Panda said besides Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB), group A and B examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commissions, Officers' Grade examination conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertaking s (PSUs) and finishing courses/job oriented for employment in the private sector like IT, Bio-Technology were also being provided to them.

There was also a provision to provide stipend to the student at the rate of Rs 1500 per month for out stationed and Rs 750 per student per month for local students, he said.

He disclosed that similar scheme was being implemented by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs for the candidates belonging to minority community whose parents or guardians income was less than Rs 2.50 lakh.

Institutions in government or private sector including universities engaged in coaching activities are eligible for running the coaching programme, subject to the condition that these institution should have required number of well qualified faculty members on its payroll or part time basis and have necessary information, he said.

He said 100 per cent assistance was provided for organising courses which include qualifying examination for admission in technical or professional courses such as engineering, law, medical management, information technology and languages, aptitude examination for seeking admission in foreign universities, competitive examination for recruitment to Group A, B,C and D services and other equivalent posts under the Central and State governments.

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