The Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who has been credited with the success of 'Jai Bheem Mukyamantri Free Coaching Scheme', on Monday announced to bear the education cost of the 19-year-old Shashi, daughter of a daily wager, who has secured admission to the Lady Hardinge Medical College here after clearing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Shashi is the first student to clear the NEET examinations and has secured admission to college after availing free coaching under the Delhi Government's scheme — 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana.
"I have never felt so good. Besides my two sons, I now have a daughter too. I will bear all the expenses of Shashi's education. Students like Shashi have cleared tough examinations and secured admission to prestigious Government institutions. Certainly, they can do achieve a lot in their lives. Lack of funds should not be an impediment in their education," said the Minister.
Shashi is the first in her family also to get admission in a medical college. Her father, 47-year-old Akhilesh Kumar Gaur, who quit education after Class XII, earns Rs 400 per day for plastering walls. Her mother never attended school.
The aim of 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', which was launched in 2017, is to provide free quality coaching for economically disadvantaged candidates for various competitive and entrance examinations.
Earlier, only meritorious Dalit students were eligible for availing free coaching. The government recently extended the scheme to economically weaker candidates from other backward castes and the general category, too.
Of the 107 students who got free coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams under the 'Jai Bhim Mukhyemantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', 13 students have been declared successful in the JEE Main and 22 in NEET.
Besides, a resident of the South Delhi's Defence Colony had came forward to sponsor the education of Vijay Kumar who had secured a seat in IIT-Delhi after availing the Government's free coaching scheme.