Time to make a difference…

Education and poverty can never go hand in hand. Primacy of poverty invariably leads to deprivation from education & vice-versa. But hopefully, things might turn for better as the Planning Commission has decided to set up an authority to make loans, scholarships, fellowships affordable in higher education for all students. The Higher Education Loan Guarantee Authority (HELGA) proposed by the Prime Minister can make a significant difference in higher education. Though education loans have been tripled to Rs.14,214 crore, making it accessible to over 9 lakh students from only just over 3 lakh; dropouts, failures to complete courses kept plaguing the nation. There is a big variation in enrollment rates of poor and non-poor students in the country. According to the latest survey by UGC, Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for poor in higher education is just 2.4% whereas, for non-poor the figure is 12.91%. By doubling junior research fellowships and lowering interest rates can bring significant changes. HELGA no doubt is an honest intention, the proper implementation of which can invariably make India more equipped for global competition. But that would be possible only if this proposition does not face an untimely death as faced by many other acts with noble intentions.