Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today sent out a clear message to the students community that the government would not allow financial constraints to come in the way of their fulfilling their academic aspirations. Instead the government would be the guarantor to allow them to pursue higher education through its smart-card benefit scheme, which would provide up to Rs 10 lakh credit to the students.

Miss Banerjee also hailed the four year degree course introduced by the Centre, saying this would help the students in the long run to compete on the national stage.

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Miss Banerjee, while addressing a gathering at Milan Mela ground to felicitate the toppers in secondary and Higher secondary examinations, for which results were announced a few days back, said that the students, who have fared well and scored brilliantly in the exams overcoming acute financial constraints in the family need not worry about pursuing further studies, since the government has its scheme ready to help out the needy students through its smart card scheme, which would benefit the students for a loan of upto Rs 10 lakh to cover their educational obligations.44

“Parents, who have meagre income and have to bear the burden of expenditure for their wards’ education, need not worry since students credit card introduced by the government would come in handy to them to sustain their education, as it would provide a loan upto Rs 10 lakh towards fulfilling their children’s educational aspirations,” said the chief minister.

The chief minister also informed that the government had accepted in principle the four year degree course introduced by the Centre as part of its national education policy considering the students future because this would put them in the right frame of mind while competing with others on the national stage. Stressing its importance, the chief minister said that from now on the students would have to pursue a four year degree course, and this would benefit them immensely in the long run.

The chief minister also asked state government officials, including the chief secretary, education secretary and minister of state education Bratya Basu to look into an alleged complaint of a student that the Presidency University was denying them an admission since their results came out after ICSE and CBSC results, toand take up the matter with the Presidency University authorities. Miss Banerjee also said that school holidays in the state were extended till 15 June.