The Uttarakhand government is preparing to provide free transport facilities to daughters studying in hill district colleges. Higher Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat confirmed that a proposal will soon be brought before the Cabinet. According to Higher Education Director V.N. Khali, the aim is to ensure that talented students do not miss out on higher education due to lack of transportation.
The Higher Education Directorate has already submitted the proposal to the state government. Under this plan, the state will bear the transportation expenses of female students, helping improve attendance and the overall quality of higher education. Currently, girls account for nearly 70 percent of enrollments in government colleges.
Presently, the government provides free bicycles to Class 9 girls. In plain areas, ₹2850 is transferred directly to students’ bank accounts, while in hill areas, the same amount is deposited as a bank FD.
Uttarakhand currently has 5 state universities, 26 private universities, 118 government colleges, 244 private colleges, and 21 aided colleges. Additionally, 25 hostels have been set up for girls. The proposed free transport facility is expected to further ease access to higher education.
