Interest Subsidy Scheme on Educational Loans

3609.  SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the aims and objectives including salient features of the Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme on Educational Loans;

(b) the total number of such students who have availed benefits of the Scheme in the country during the last three years and the current year;

(c) the percentage of such students out of the said numbers, who have availed benefits of the Scheme in the country particularly in Bihar;

(d) whether the Government has been achieving the aims and objectives of the Scheme ever since its implementation; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

(a): The Central Sector Interest Subsidy (CSIS) Scheme on Education Loan pivots around the vision that no student desiring to pursue higher education is denied of the opportunity if she/he is financially poor. The objectives and salient features of the scheme are available on  https://www.education.gov.in/en/scholarships-education-loan-4.

(b) to (e): The number of students who have availed benefits of the CSIS scheme during the years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 are 4.07 lakh, 3.44 lakh and 4.09 lakh respectively. The number of students from Bihar who have availed benefits of the CSIS scheme during the years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 are 17.5 thousand, 20.1 thousand and 16.5 thousand respectively. The numbers of students who have availed benefit of this scheme in the current year (till 31.07.2022) are 1.21 lakh, of which 3.3 thousand are from Bihar. The scheme has empowered poor students all over India, including students from the rural/semi-urban regions to access higher education. The CSIS scheme, since inception, has assisted higher education of more than 28.6 lakh students.

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