SHILLONG: The Khasi Student’s Union has entered into an agreement with the Dr. YSR Education and Welfare Foundation from Andhra Pradesh to act as a facilitator in helping students from the State get admission into various medical and technical courses in institutions which have a tie up with the Foundation.
Talking to newsmen before the signing of the agreement on Thursday, KSU education secretary Donald V Thabah said that they have decided to enter into an agreement after visiting the nine institutions in Andhra Pradesh which offer a wide range of technical and medical courses including dental, engineering and BSc nursing.
“We were impressed with the infrastructures in all the nine institutions. We have also ascertained that all the institutions are affiliated with All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE),” Thabah said.
According to him, the Foundation had initially approach NESO to seek the support of the various students’ organisation of the region in getting students to pursue the various courses.
Providing details of this whole initiative, the KSU leader informed that the students will have to pay an admission fees of Rs. 25000 for whole course and another Rs. 60,000 for the hostel and accommodation fees.
Thabah informed that the hostel and accommodation fees will be refunded after completion of the courses.
Meanwhile, Dr. YSR Education and Welfare Foundation president Madhu Sudhan Reddy said the Foundation’s main goal is to help the students belonging to the Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes to avail the higher and technical education by paying minimum fees.
When asked as in what manner the Foundation will able to meet the fees of the students, he said that the students belonging to the minority and backward classes are entitled to avail the scholarships provided by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
“From the side of the Foundation, we only help the student to avail the various forms of scholarship. It is through these scholarships that the fees of the students are paid. In case if any of the student does not get the scholarship for some reasons, the Foundation would bear the expenses,” Reddy said.
In the case of students who are not able to pay the hostel and accommodation fees, Reddy said that such students can avail a soft loan from the SBI since they also have tie up with the bank to provide such kind of loans.
Reddy said that the Foundation has also appointed a hostel warden and a cook who hails from the region to ensure the students have a home stay.
Meanwhile, the KSU leader said that the Foundation has kept a benchmark that the students whose parents earn less than Rs. 3 lakh annually will be eligible to pursue these courses.
Thabah informed that they will be issuing forms for the various courses in the KSU office from June 21 to 25 while adding that the last date for submitting of the forms is June 28.
“The scrutiny of the forms will be held at the Khasi National Dorbar on July 1. The list of eligible candidates will be put up at the KSU office on July 3,” he said.
“The details for the other courses will be available at the KSU office,” Thabah added.