Gandhinagar: In a calibrated expansion of the state’s education welfare framework, Gujarat govt is preparing to roll out its financial assistance scheme exclusively for boys from economically vulnerable backgrounds, with the aim of curbing high dropout rates, especially after Class 8. The scheme, named Namo Kishor Yojana, is a marked shift from the state’s traditional support and schemes for educational upliftment of girls and will offer the same benefits as the Namo Lakshmi Yojana for girls.The Namo Laxmi Yojana gives girls in Classes 9 to 12 total financial assistance of Rs 50,000 over four years – Rs 20,000 for Classes 9 and 10 and Rs 30,000 for Classes 11 and 12.A source close to the development said, “It was observed that the school dropout rate among boys was high in Gujarat after Class 8 due to reasons like them leaving studies to take up economic activities. The Namo Kishor Yojana is aimed at reducing this rate and will have the same benefits as under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana.”With an annual target of over 2 lakh boys who have passed Class 10 and come from families with an annual income of less than Rs 6 lakh, the Namo Kishore Yojana is expected to be announced in the 2026-27 state budget and implemented from April 1. The govt also aims to nudge more students towards higher studies in STEM subjects by expanding the ambit of the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana.
