Guruji Credit Card: Higher education dept yet to determine date to begin registrations

The state government and the Higher and Technical Education recently announced the launch date for the Guruji Credit Card scheme as November 15 after a delay in launching the same as the admission season draws to a close.

The department, however, is yet to decide on a date to begin the registration process after the launch, as well as the time period that will take a card to be issued to a student. The department is also set to release an app for the same.

Talking in this regard, Deputy Director Anmol Lal said, “The file is in the initiation stage. It is still there as to pass it, the signature of the Chief Secretary of the department is needed. However, because the former chief secretary K K Khandelwal retired and anyone is yet to be appointed to the post, the file remains in the said stage.”

“This will be followed by approval from departmental ministers, i.e. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, then consent from finance, law, and personnel departments will remain. This process will be sped up once a new chief secretary joins the Higher and Technical Education department,” he added.

When questioned regarding the time it will take from registration to the students getting their card, the deputy director said, “The finance and law department will make suggestions in this regard when the file is passed to them.”

Regarding being ready for registration by November 15, the director said, “The department is working round the clock to make it a possibility.”

Notably, the card, announced with the state budget in March, is to provide the students with a guarantee from the government when asking banks for loans of up to 10 lakhs for higher education. With this credit card, money can be withdrawn in two or three installments and students will be able to buy books and laptops etc. as well as pay college coaching and hostel fees.

This card will be provided to students after passing the 12^th board. The government has made a provision of Rs 26.13 crore for this in the budget for the financial year 2022-23.

Meanwhile, the minimum requirements for the same include the annual family income being less than Rs 5 lakh, the family not filing income tax returns due to tax bracket, the student taking benefit should be a native of Jharkhand, and should have passed the Matric-Inter examination from Jharkhand.

Required information for the registration for the card includes the applicant’s aadhaar card, basic address proof, identity card (Voter ID, PAN Card), income certificate, age certificate, registered mobile number, passport size photo, and email ID.