GUWAHATI: Asam Sahitya Sabha and the University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) on Wednesday called upon students from the region to apply for 20 Full Scholarships to study Undergraduate and Post Graduate courses at USTM.
The scholarships are being instituted in the memory of 20 former Presidents of Asam Sahitya Sabha while two Research Fellowships leading to Ph.D. are also being offered by USTM to carry out research on the lives of two literary stalwarts of Assam—Dr Maheswar Neog and Syed Abdul Malik—both being former presidents of Sabha. The decision for the awards was taken after signing of MoU between USTM and Asam Sahitya Sabha in September last year.
Addressing a Press conference here, Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi, President, Asam Sahitya Sabha said, “We have seen that many students get good percentage in board and degree exams but due to their poor financial position, they become unable to pursue further studies as per their desire. The Scholarships would greatly help them to move ahead with their studies and build their future”.
Speaking to the media, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM and Chairman of ERD Foundation, Guwahati said that the purpose of offering the Scholarships is on the one hand to help young meritorious students pursue higher education, and on the other, to inspire and encourage the youngsters to follow the footsteps of the former presidents of Sabha and contribute wholeheartedly for the development of language, literature, culture and integrity of the region.
“Students availing these scholarships will be benefitted and will always remember the apex literary body of Assam and the invaluable contribution it has been making to the greater Assamese society. USTM is offering the 20 merit Scholarships for hundred per cent free education at USTM for UG and PG courses starting the academic session 2019-20”, he added.
He emphasized on the urgent need for creating awareness among the people so that students and parents come to know about the Scholarships at the earliest to apply for the same as admission process for UG and PG courses at USTM has already begun. The declaration of new Scholarships in the memory of former Hon’ble Sabha Presidents would be a continuous process.
Padum Rajkhowa, Chief Secretary, Asam Sahitya Sabha said that the Scholarships will be awarded on merit basis to students, while preference will be given to those whose financial condition is weak. He said that the Forms will available at USTM website www.ustm.ac.in and can be submitted to Asam Sahitya Sabha’s Guwahati office as well as its branch offices spread across Assam. The last date for submission of Forms for UG Scholarships is 15th June and for PG Scholarships is 20th July.
The 15 Scholarships for PG courses are on: Padmanath Gohain Baruah, Chandradhar Barua, Kaliram Medhi, Hemchandra Goswami, Amrit Bhushan Dev Adhikari, Kanaklal Barua, Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Rajanikanta Bordoloi, Benudhar Rajkhowa, Tarun Ram Phukan, Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, Mofizuddin Ahmed Hazarika, Nagendra Narayan Choudhury, Jnanadabhiram Barua, Ananda Chandra Agarwala. The five UG Scholarships are on Raghunath Choudhari, Krishna Kanta Handique, Moidul Islam Bora, Nilmani Phukan and Ambikagiri Raichoudhury.