Assam Opens Applications for Nijut Babu Asoni for Male Students

The Assam government has opened applications for a new student welfare scheme aimed at financially supporting male students from economically weaker backgrounds pursuing higher education.

Announced by the state’s Higher Education Department on Tuesday, the initiative titled Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni is designed to encourage continued enrolment of boys in undergraduate and postgraduate courses, particularly in government and provincialised colleges. The scheme mirrors the state’s earlier programme for girls, Nijut Moina Asoni, and seeks to address declining participation and rising dropout rates among male students at the tertiary level.

Under the new arrangement, eligible first-year undergraduate students will receive a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000, while postgraduate entrants will be provided Rs 2,000 per month. The support will be disbursed for up to ten months each academic year through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who shared the operational details of the scheme on January 6, said the objective is to create a more “balanced support system” in higher education and ensure that financial hardship does not force boys from vulnerable families to abandon their studies.

Higher Education Department of Assam Government invites applications from eligible candidates of UG/PG students for 𝐌𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐣𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐮 𝐀𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢. Sharing the guidelines and the application forms here.@himantabiswa@CMOfficeAssampic.twitter.com/dhRvs9eSgv

— Ranoj Pegu (@ranojpeguassam) January 6, 2026

As per the official order, the programme will be implemented from the 2025–26 academic session and will be open only to regular male students who are permanent residents of Assam and whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 4 lakh. Students enrolled in private colleges, self-financed programmes, or distance learning courses will not be covered.

The government has also laid down specific eligibility conditions. Married undergraduate students, recipients of the Banikanta Kakati Merit Award, and postgraduate students already benefiting under the Chief Minister’s Jibon Prerana Scheme will not qualify. In addition, beneficiaries must maintain satisfactory attendance, follow academic norms, and comply with institutional regulations, failing which the financial assistance may be withdrawn. No payments will be made during long breaks or vacations extending beyond one month.

The scheme aims to boost male participation from economically weaker sections, improve Assam’s Gross Enrolment Ratio, and curb early-stage dropouts at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in line with the broader goals of the National Education Policy 2020.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier hinted at the rollout of a similar support programme for boys while addressing a gathering at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra on December 9, during the distribution of scooters to Higher Secondary toppers under the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award. He had then stated that the initiative would be launched from January 1 to strengthen the state’s academic ecosystem.

The newly introduced scheme builds on Assam’s expanding student welfare framework. The flagship Nijut Moina Asoni programme for girl students has already reached more than five lakh beneficiaries. It also follows the government’s Prerona Scheme, under which students appearing for HSLC and CBSE Class 10 examinations receive a monthly stipend of Rs 300 for four months.

With Mukhyamantri Nijut Babu Asoni, the government hopes to extend targeted financial assistance to male students and create a more inclusive and sustainable higher education environment across the state.

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