Guwahati: In a move to simplify the free admission process, Assam‘s Education Minister Ranoj Pegu has clarified that ration cards will be accepted as valid proof of income for free admission to government and provincialized schools and colleges across the state.
Taking to X, Minister Ranoj Pegu wrote, “I would like to clarify that during the free admission process into Government and Provincialised schools and colleges, Ration Cards will be accepted as valid proof of income.”
Alternatively, income certificates issued by a competent authority will also be accepted in place of a ration card, and vice versa, he stated.
This year, the maximum parental annual income for free admission eligibility has been increased to Rs 4 lakh, up from the previous Rs 2 lakh, Pegu said in a post on X.
He further added, “The state government does not charge any fee from college students; instead, it offers a Fee Waiver scheme for BPL students. Previously, students with a parental annual income of up to Rs 2 lakh were eligible for free admission, but this year the limit has been raised to Rs 4 lakh, allowing Ration Cards as proof instead of Income Certificates. Admission fees are set by Colleges and Universities, with a State Fee Regulation Committee determining the upper limit.”
Notably, the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) has introduced three new HS elective subjects this year—Artificial Intelligence, Financial Literacy, and Sign Language.