By News Karnataka
Copyright newskarnataka
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government, in collaboration with the Azim Premji Foundation, on Friday launched the Deepika Student Scholarship programme, aimed at supporting higher education for girl students from government colleges.
The scheme, inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at GKVK campus, will provide ₹30,000 per year to each beneficiary. Starting from the academic year 2025–26, the scholarship will benefit over 37,000 girl students across the state, with provisions to extend financial aid to all eligible applicants even if the number exceeds the initial estimate.
Support for higher education
The scholarship targets girl students who have completed pre-university (PU) education in government colleges and are enrolling in general degree, professional degree, or diploma courses.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the programme’s primary goal is to remove financial barriers faced by young women pursuing higher education.
“The main objective of this scholarship is to radically eliminate financial difficulties faced by our girls in pursuing higher education and to achieve equality by providing them with social justice,” he said.
He added that some parents are hesitant to spend on their daughters’ higher studies, and the scholarship would be a “boon to thousands of girl students in the state.”
Azim Premji’s vision
Wipro founder-chairman and Azim Premji Foundation chief, Azim Premji, said the initiative is rooted in his long-standing commitment to education.
“Twenty-five years ago, when I started Azim Premji Foundation, my dream was for every child in India to get a good school education. During this period, I have seen more and more children go to school. When I meet school students, they tell me that they want to go to college. This has made me very happy. So, I decided to start a scholarship programme for girls who want to go to college,” Premji said.
Long-term impact
Officials noted that the scholarship is expected to improve enrolment of girl students in higher education and help bridge gender disparities in professional and academic fields. The collaboration between the state and the Azim Premji Foundation, which has previously worked on improving school education, marks a significant expansion into higher education support.
Way forward
With the assurance of financial aid for all eligible applicants, the government hopes to not only increase enrolment but also ensure retention of women students in higher education programmes. Education experts said the scheme could serve as a model for other states to follow in bridging gender gaps through targeted financial assistance.
