'Student Credit Card' gains popularity outside state
Kolkata: The Students Credit Card launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has received an immense response with at least 12,000 students studying in other states applying for the same to get the soft loan up to Rs 10 lakh to continue with their higher studies.
Banerjee fulfilled her pre-poll assurances by launching the scheme that made the scope wider for students to undertake secondary, higher secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate level studies including professional degree, diploma courses and research at doctoral or postdoctoral level or other similar courses in any school, madrasah, college, university, IITs, IIMs, IIESTs, ISIs, NLUs, AIIMSs, NITs, XLRI, BITS, SPA, NID, IISc, IIFTs and ICFAI Business School and other affiliated institutes within and outside the country.
Sources said that a great enthusiasm was noticed among students from Bengal, who went outside to pursue different courses, to get Students Credit Card.
Thousands of students have already applied for Students Credit Card till now and it includes 12,000 students who are at present pursuing different courses outside Bengal. Out of the 12,000 students, at least 7500 students are at present only in Karnataka.
Similarly, around 900, 300, 600 and 350 students are from Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively. There are also 330 and 200 students in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as well. Students, who are at present in Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat, have applied for the same.
The Chief Minister had launched the Student Credit Card on June 30 from Nabanna and said: "The Student Credit Card scheme is launched to make the dream of students come true. We are proud of the moment as it is a unique scheme and first such across the globe. No more parents have to worry about higher studies for their children. Monetary issues will no longer remain as a barrier between the dream and reality of becoming doctor, engineer, professor, teacher, IAS and IPS. Students are our pride and they are our future".
Any student residing can avail the loan at a minimal interest soon after getting promoted to class X. It can be availed till the age of 40 years.
Banerjee had also announced that there will be a life cover in the name of the student up to the loan amount sanctioned. The beneficiaries can repay the loan in a period of 15 years.
The Student Credit Card may also be used to avail loan to meet up the expenses including course fees, accommodation expenses, undertake study tours, project works and thesis.
