The Odisha government has initiated online registration for students from farming families under the extended ‘KALIA Scholarship’ scheme, with the registration period extending until January 31, according to an official statement.

To further enhance the scheme, the government has modified its guidelines to extend scholarships to students pursuing technical and professional courses in both private institutes within and outside the state. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed the government’s commitment to brightening the future of farming families by providing assistance to children in professional and technical institutions.

Under the updated guidelines, the scholarship will now be granted to students enrolling in professional and technical courses such as engineering, medical, agriculture, nursing, diploma, and various trades in ITI in government or private institutions with AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education) codes. Additionally, premier institutions within and outside the state, including IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIMs, ICAR, IARI, IISER, NISER, IVRI, CIFE, NDRI, and others, are covered.

Previously, the scholarship was exclusively available to children of farmers enrolled in government institutions within the state. The scholarship duration is a maximum of two years for postgraduate courses and four years for PhD courses, with the PhD courses required to be related to eligible postgraduate courses in government institutions within the state.

As of now, 1,789 students have been enrolled for the grant under the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation Scholarship (KALIA) scheme, launched in the academic year 2021-22. The KALIA Scholarship aims to support the maximum number of students from families of small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural laborers, as per an official statement. The scholarship amount for students in private and premier institutions will be disbursed according to the approved rates.

Source: PTI

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