Guwahati: The Assam government on Tuesday invited applications for the Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni, a new financial incentive scheme for boys pursuing higher education.
The Higher Education Department introduced the scheme to support male students from economically weaker families. Notably, it mirrors the state’s Mukhyamantri Nijut Moina Asoni for girls.
Through this initiative, the government aims to reduce gender imbalance. It also seeks to curb rising dropout rates among male students at the tertiary level.
Under the scheme, first-year undergraduate students in government and provincialised colleges will receive ?1,000 per month. Meanwhile, first-year postgraduate students will get ?2,000 per month.
The government will disburse the incentive for up to 10 months in an academic year. It will transfer the amount directly to students’ bank accounts through DBT.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu shared the scheme’s guidelines and application details on January 6. He said the initiative would ensure gender-balanced support and help economically vulnerable boys continue their studies.
According to the official order, the scheme will be implemented in the 2025–26 academic year. It will apply to regular male students domiciled in Assam. Their annual family income must be below ?4 lakh.
However, students enrolled in private institutions, self-financed courses, or distance education programmes will not be eligible.
Importantly, the scheme aims to boost male enrolment from weaker sections. It also targets improvements in Assam’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). In addition, it seeks to reduce dropouts at undergraduate and postgraduate entry levels, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
At the same time, the guidelines specify several exclusions. Married undergraduate students will not be eligible. Those availing the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award are also excluded. Similarly, postgraduate students receiving benefits under the Chief Minister’s Jibon Prerana Scheme cannot apply.
Moreover, beneficiaries must maintain regular attendance and academic discipline. They must also follow institutional conduct rules. Otherwise, authorities may withdraw the incentive.
The government will not pay the incentive during summer vacations. It will also stop payments during any break exceeding one month.
Earlier, on December 9, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the scheme. He made the announcement while distributing scooters to 11,250 Higher Secondary toppers under the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award. He said the incentive for boys would roll out from January 1.
Meanwhile, the Mukhyamantri Nijut Moina Asoni for girls has already benefited over five lakh students. It has significantly reshaped Assam’s student support framework.
In addition, the government recently launched the Prerona Scheme. The initiative supports students appearing for HSLC and CBSE Class 10 exams. Under the scheme, around 4.4 lakh students receive ?300 per month for four months, starting November 2025.