The Silicon Review ^Asia

In a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday, CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that caste will no longer be a bar for the Jai BhimMukhyamantriPratibha Vikas Yojna. The JBM scholarship scheme is an educational plan that was created in order to help those students coming from economically poor background i.e., those whose parents earn less than Rs. 8 lakh p.a. Previously providing assistance to students only belonging  only to the scheduled caste category from the NCR region, the scheme provided financial assistance with coaching for competitive exams. Kejriwal, from the AamAadmi Party, announced in the conference that the scheme will now include students from the ST and OBC category as well.

“It is our aim to ensure that no child born in Delhi should be bereft of good education in this age of stiff competition due to poverty or lack of resources. To achieve this goal, we have taken many steps.It is the age of cut-throat competition and children require coaching for getting admission in good engineering and medical colleges. Children born in poor families are also very intelligent, but in the absence of resources for coaching, they are left behind and only those with sufficient economic resources have access to coaching” announced Mr.Kejriwal in address to his decision.

The leader also announced that the Delhi government will increase funding from Rs. 40,000 per candidate to Rs. 1,00,000. He also emphasised the importance of a “good” education and how financial conditions shouldn’t have to be a hindrance for deserving hindrance. This reform is a welcome one in a country that has long since been ruled by a stringent caste system.