(a) whether the students of the North-Eastern region are provided any kind of additional
education assistance by the Government in comparison to other States;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has conducted any programme to raise national awareness in the
educational institutes of Delhi to remove cultural discrimination against the students of North-
Eastern Region;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)
(a) & (b) The Government of India has launched several initiatives for educational assistance to
students of North-Eastern States. Under ‘Ishaan Uday’, 10,000 scholarships are awarded to
North East students to enable their access to higher education outside the region.
Supernumerary seats for NE students are also reserved in Engineering/ technology/
architecture/ pharmacy courses in institution approved by All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE). AICTE has a scheme of North East Quality Improvement Programme
(NEQIP) to provide grant-in-aid for improving quality of education in technical institutes in
North Eastern Region. Under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), funding support
is provided in the ratio of 90:10 to North Eastern States for improving access, equity and
quality education.
(c ) to (e) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has advised the Universities in the
country to raise awareness about the history, literature and culture of North Eastern Region
(NER) and to teach history of NER at Undergraduate (UG) and Post-graduate (PG) level.
Exchange of students between Higher Education Institutes in NER and those in other states are
enhanced to understand and appreciate the culture of North East. Cultural exchanges between
institutions of North East Region and other universities are encouraged. In addition, UGC has
also advised to include the units on freedom-fighters from NER in curricula at various levels.
National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has included in its textbooks
contents on various aspects of life and culture of the North East region.
*****