Only 2,790 students enrolled against 10,500 target for govt's free coaching programme
A parliamentary Standing Committee report revealed that the Centre has failed to effectively implement its free coaching scheme for economically disadvantaged students preparing for competitive exams. Only 2,790 students were enrolled against a target of 10,500 over the past three years. The report noted significant under-expenditure, with only ₹7.76 crore spent out of a ₹47 crore budget estimate in 2023-24. The committee questioned the ambitious target of 7,000 beneficiaries for 2026-27, given past failures, and recommended revising the annual family income ceiling of ₹8 lakh to increase candidate uptake.
Key Points
- The Centre's free coaching scheme for disadvantaged students has low enrollment, with only 2,790 students against a 10,500 target over three years.
- The scheme has faced significant under-expenditure, utilizing only a fraction of its allocated budget.
- The Standing Committee questioned the feasibility of the ambitious 7,000-beneficiary target for 2026-27 given past performance.
- A key recommendation is to revise the annual family income ceiling of ₹8 lakh to improve candidate uptake.
Exam Facts
- Only 2,790 students enrolled against a target of 10,500 over three years.
- In 2023-24, ₹7.76 crore was spent out of a ₹47 crore budget estimate.
- The target for 2026-27 is 7,000 beneficiaries.
- The annual family income ceiling for eligibility is ₹8 lakh.
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