Guwahati: The Assam government on Tuesday invited applications for the Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni, a new financial incentive scheme aimed at supporting boys from economically weaker families pursuing higher education. Introduced by the Higher Education Department, the scheme mirrors the Mukhyamantri Nijut Moina Asoni for girls and seeks to address gender imbalance and rising dropout rates among male students at the tertiary level.
Under the scheme, first-year undergraduate students enrolled in government and provincialised colleges will receive ₹1,000 per month, while first-year postgraduate students will be entitled to ₹2,000 per month. The incentive will be disbursed for up to 10 months in an academic year and transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on January 6 shared the detailed guidelines and application process, stating that the initiative aims to ensure gender-balanced support and help economically vulnerable boys continue their studies. As per the official order, the scheme will be implemented from the 2025–26 academic year and will apply to regular male students domiciled in Assam with an annual family income of less than ₹4 lakh.
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However, students enrolled in private institutions, self-financed courses or distance education programmes will not be eligible. Married undergraduate students are also excluded, along with beneficiaries of the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award and postgraduate students receiving assistance under the Chief Minister’s Jibon Prerana Scheme. The guidelines further specify that beneficiaries must maintain regular attendance, academic discipline and adherence to institutional conduct rules, failing which the incentive may be withdrawn. Payments will not be made during summer vacations or during breaks exceeding one month.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced the scheme on December 9 while distributing scooters to Higher Secondary toppers, stating that the incentive for boys would roll out from January 1. The scheme aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and complements existing initiatives such as the Nijut Moina Asoni and the recently launched Prerona Scheme, which supports students appearing for Class 10 examinations.
