Higher education distant dream for many students amid financial constraints

Even as the process of admission to various courses across higher education institutes in the region is at its peak, there is a vast majority of students who cannot afford to get enrolled.

Isha, of Nandpur village in Sahnewal, is one of many such. She has just completed her schooling with first division. But recently, all she has been feeling is frustration. As she sees her friends and classmates getting admitted into some or the other higher education institution, she is reminded of her family’s financial constraints. Despite having been exceptional at academics, she has to think twice before she enrolls in a course, for her father runs a small shop in the village and cannot afford to send all three of his kids to an educational institute.

Talking to this correspondent, the wearied father of Isha said, “I earn a maximum of Rs 3,000 a month. I have to feed a family of six on this income and save, too. If the college asks us to deposit Rs 5,000 as the first installment of the fees, what would I do for the next six weeks? In order to enable just one of my kids to study further, should I starve my whole family?”

“I need approximately Rs 30,000 to get her through just the first year of her degree. The fees are much higher in courses such as BBA, BCA, BSc etc. Unfortunately, she has to be satisfied with 10+2,” he added.

Similarly, Parveen, a student of Government Senior Secondary School, Rajgarh, secured a good percentage in Class XII and wished to get admitted to a B Com course. When his father, who is a daily wager, learned about the annual fee for the course he gave up on the idea of higher education. His father expressed his wish for some NGO or philanthropist to adopt his child.

Jashan, another girl from the same village with an equally good percentage, also has to give up her dream of studying further, as her family is going through a severe economic crisis. She said she couldn’t even think or openly express her wishes of studying further to her father. The family of five shares one room. The hapless mother rued, “I do not want to make her sit at home after she has cleared her senior secondary examinations with such a good score. But now I feel that the children of the poor have no right to be intelligent. Colleges demand high fees, which the poor cannot afford.”

This correspondent came across a number of such girls, who are being forced to end their academic journeys abruptly after completing matriculation or 10+2. “On the one hand, the government promises to make education free for girls; on the other, a majority of girls in rural areas have to drop out due to financial constraints,” said Kajal of Sahnewal, who is also passing through a similar predicament.

Principal of Govind National College, Narangwal, Dr Sandeep Sawhney, said most institutions helped needy students, but within defined parameters. “A number of such students are issued scholarships and stipends if they are really deserving. Besides, the college helps them with books and in a number of other ways,” he said.

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Ludhiana