Guwahati, Oct 15: Rising enrolment under Assam’s Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes is cause for celebration, not concern, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday, as he proposed expanding the girls’ education initiative to four more universities and nursing courses from next year.
“Usually when the beneficiaries increase, we (government) worry because the amount will increase. But when the beneficiaries of Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu scheme rise, we don’t panic; we are happy that this scheme is successful,” Sarma said at a ceremonial distribution of financial assistance under the two schemes, in Jyoti-Bishnu International Art Centre, Guwahati.
Announcing the release of two instalments, Sarma said students would receive the October payment on Thursday, while the September instalment would reach them after Durga Puja.
A total of 4,39,598 students are set to benefit from the Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes this year, reflecting their expanding reach, according to the Chief Minister.
Of these, 2,36,292 are college students, 1,14,999 are enrolled in polytechnic institutions, 456 are pursuing courses under SCERT B.Ed programmes, and 1,07,876 are higher secondary students.
The Nijut Babu scheme, which extends similar financial assistance to male students, has also recorded a sharp rise in beneficiaries. Sarma said the number had increased from 49,000 last year to 1,02,501 this year.
Sarma added that the government is considering extending Nijut Moina benefits to students of Auniati University, Srimanta Sankaradeva University, Pragjyotish University and Krishnaguru Adhyatmik University.
“I would request the Education Minister to facilitate their inclusion,” he assured the gathering.
Students pursuing Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM), General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) and BSc Nursing courses could also be brought under the scheme from next year.
The government is additionally exploring the possibility of increasing the financial assistance provided to beneficiaries.
Tackling dropouts & child marriage
Introduced in 2024, Nijut Moina was conceived amid concerns over child marriage and early motherhood in Assam, Sarma said, referring to discussions around the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
The government’s crackdown on child marriage had led to the arrest of more than 10,000 people, he said. However, the administration also recognised that families needed financial support to educate their daughters rather than marry them off at an early age.
“During that time, an issue was raised that the families won't marry off girls, but to educate them they need money. For that we initiated the Nijut Moina scheme in 2024 so that the responsibility of educating girls will be taken up by the government,” Sarma said.
He said the scheme had contributed to reducing student dropouts, while its beneficiaries frequently contacted the government to enquire about the release of funds.
Sarma emphasised that students would have to attend college regularly to remain eligible for financial assistance, underlining that the initiative was intended to encourage continued education rather than provide monetary support alone.
Sarma said Nijut Babu was introduced after boys approached him during district visits seeking financial assistance similar to that available to girls under Nijut Moina.
The two schemes serve different social objectives, but the government decided to extend financial support to male students as well, he said.
The Chief Minister also encouraged students to aspire to senior positions in public service rather than limit their ambitions to state-level careers.
“ACS, APS shouldn't be the aim; we need to be IPS. We need to represent at the highest level in office,” he said, referring to the Assam Civil Service (ACS), Assam Police Service (APS) and Indian Police Service (IPS).