Port Blair: Calling the existing financial assistance “grossly inadequate” in the face of spiralling living costs, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has urged the Administration to immediately raise the monthly stipend for inter-island students pursuing higher education in Sri Vijaya Puram from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 5,000.
In a representation submitted to the Secretary (Education), the student organisation said the present stipend has remained unchanged for years despite a sharp rise in the cost of accommodation, food, transportation and study materials.
According to ABVP, the current amount is no longer sufficient to meet even the basic monthly expenses of students who relocate from remote islands to continue their education. The memorandum was submitted by ABVP State Secretary Mriganko Shekhar Das, who appealed to the Administration to take an empathetic view of the hardships faced by students from distant islands. He pointed out that many families are already under financial strain and are finding it increasingly difficult to support children studying in the capital.
ABVP maintained that students from remote islands contribute significantly to the academic environment of colleges in Sri Vijaya Puram and should not be forced to compromise their education because of financial constraints.
The organisation argued that enhancing the stipend would not only ease the burden on families but also encourage more students from far-flung islands to pursue higher education. The student body urged the Administration to treat the issue as a priority and implement the revised stipend at the earliest, stating that investment in students is an investment in the future of the islands.
