Port Blair: Raising concern over the financial struggles faced by students from remote islands, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has demanded a major increase in the monthly stipend provided to inter-island students pursuing higher education in colleges across the archipelago. In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the student body said the existing stipend of ₹1500 per month has become “grossly inadequate” in the face of rising living costs and inflation. ABVP urged the Administration to enhance the amount to at least ₹5000 per month to help students meet basic educational and survival expenses. The organization pointed out that students studying in institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Andaman College, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT), and other colleges are struggling to manage expenses related to food, accommodation, transport and study materials with the current stipend, which has reportedly remained unchanged for years.
Highlighting the plight of students from remote islands and economically weaker families, ABVP stated that many are being forced to take up part-time labour work to continue their studies, often at the cost of their academic performance and mental well-being. The student organization also pressed for a long-term policy mechanism to periodically revise stipends in line with inflation and changing economic realities, arguing that the current support system no longer reflects the actual cost of pursuing higher education in the islands.
The demand is expected to intensify the ongoing debate around educational accessibility and student welfare in the geographically isolated island territory, where inter-island students often face higher logistical and financial challenges than their mainland counterparts.
