College In Uttar Pradesh To Offer Free Education For Students Who Have Lost Parents To COVID

In a noble move, an engineering college in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, will be providing free education in all four engineering streams for the next four years to students who have either lost one or both parents or earning members of their families due to COVID.

The management committee announced the decision on July 16. RD Engineering College was requested for help by the Private Schools and Children Welfare Association. Shamael Ahmad, the president of the association, said the gesture will benefit 50 students who have lost their parents or earning members due to coronavirus.

The college will not levy hostel fees and provide free books. Sanjeev Sharma, Director, RD Engineering College & Technical Campus, said the chairman of the college, Rakesh Sharma, has accepted the association's request, reported The New Indian Express.

"The students will have to make arrangements for their own food and university exam fees," Sharma said. The association has recommended a 50 per cent scholarship and free hostel accommodation for needy children. Ahmad added that the association would request Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to provide information about such aspiring engineering students.

Government Relief

In May, the Uttar Pradesh government launched a welfare scheme for children who either lost both of their parents to COVID-19 or the earning parent. Financial assistance of ₹ 4,000 will be provided to a child's guardian or caretaker till he or she attains adulthood, under the scheme.

About 200 children in the state have lost both parents to the pandemic and 1,800 others have lost one parent, according to the state government.

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