JD(U) announces monetary aid for poor upper-caste students

PATNA: In an attempt to entice the upper castes before the autumn elections, JD(U) government on Monday announced financial assistance to meritorious but poor upper caste students of both the majority and minority communities. It also announced upper caste certificates to help the process.
The government said students who secure first division in the matriculation examination of Bihar School Examination board (BSEB) from government schools will be paid Rs 10,000 if their family income doesn't exceed Rs 1.5 lakh per annum.
The assistance would come under 'Mukhyamantri Protsahan Yojana' and its intended beneficiaries are Brahmins, Bhumihars, Rajputs and Kayasthas (among Hindus) and Sheikhs, Syeds and Pathans (among Muslims). The Hindu upper caste are traditionally BJP voters.
The government has also decided to introduce scholarships for upper caste poor students from class I to class 10. The details of the criteria are being worked out, said an official.
These decisions were taken on the basis of recommendations made by an eight-member committee, headed by chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, to assist poor upper caste people in the state.
As per a recent study out by Patna-based Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), the literacy rate for upper caste population in Bihar is 75.6% in rural areas and 85.9% in urban areas. For the general population, the literacy rate is 59.8% (in rural areas) and 76.9% (urban areas). The study was sponsored by the state commission for upper castes.