Una, July 17:- When talent meets opportunity, nothing can stop dreams from becoming reality. Launched in 2023 under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Student Loan Scheme has emerged as a beacon of hope for thousands of meritorious students whose dreams of higher education often remained unfulfilled due to financial constraints. Offering education loans of up to ?20 lakh at an interest rate of just one percent, the scheme ensures that no deserving student is deprived of higher education solely due to a lack of funds.
Avni Sharma, from Chauki Maniyar village in Una district, is an inspiring example of the scheme's positive impact. Coming from a family with limited financial resources, Avni’s dream of higher education had begun to fade, but the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Student Loan Scheme gave a new direction to her life. Today, she is pursuing a B.Sc. in Medical (Anesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology) in Nakodar.
Avni shares that she is one of four sisters. Her father supports the family by working under MGNREGA and doing daily wage labor. Due to their limited income, bearing the cost of higher education for all four daughters was extremely difficult for the family; continuing their studies had become a major challenge.
She mentioned that an education loan of ?4 lakh was sanctioned to her under the scheme. This financial assistance paved the way for her studies, and she is now moving towards her goal without any financial worry.
Avni says that given their financial circumstances, many people had advised her to learn skills like beauty parlor work or tailoring to earn a living, but her dream was to build a career in the healthcare sector. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s initiative has given wings to her dreams. She is now confident that financial constraints will not stand in the way of her future. In the future, she aspires to serve society by doing excellent work in the healthcare sector.
Avni's mother, Suman Sharma, says that previously, the children's higher education was the family's biggest concern due to financial constraints, but this scheme has largely alleviated that worry. Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, she notes that the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana has emerged as a reliable support system for higher education for economically weaker and middle-class families.
Similarly, Tanishk Jaswal from Bhadsali village in the Haroli assembly constituency is pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science by availing the benefits of this scheme. Receiving an education loan of ?6 lakh from the state government has eased the financial burden on his family, allowing him to prepare for his career with full concentration.
**Education loan of up to ?20 lakh at just one percent interest**
Anil Kumar, Deputy Director of the Higher Education Department in Una, stated that under this scheme—launched in 2023—eligible students are being provided education loans of up to ?20 lakh at an interest rate of just one percent. This amount can be utilized for tuition fees, hostel charges, food, study materials, and other academic requirements.
He mentioned that the annual family income limit for the scheme, initially set at ?4 lakh, has now been raised to ?12 lakh. This will enable more students from both economically weaker and middle-class families to pursue higher education without financial worry.
**Eligibility and application process**
The Deputy Director explained that to avail the benefits of the scheme, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Himachal Pradesh. The applicant's age should not exceed 28 years, and securing a minimum of 60 percent marks in the previous class is mandatory. Under the scheme, education loans are available for various professional and technical courses—including medical, engineering, nursing, pharmacy, and management—as well as for eligible postgraduate and PhD-level courses.
He added that the application process is completely digital, simple, and transparent. Additionally, interested students can download 'Form-2' from the official website of the Deputy Director of Higher Education (Una) or the Director of Higher Education (Himachal Pradesh), fill it out in the prescribed format, and submit it to the office of the Deputy Director of Higher Education, Una, on any working day.
**Ensuring the scheme's benefits reach every eligible student**
Una Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal stated that, under the guidance of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the district administration is ensuring that the benefits of the scheme reach every eligible student in a simple, transparent, and time-bound manner, so that no deserving student has to compromise their future due to financial constraints.
He emphasized that a student's talent should not be held hostage by their financial circumstances. The district administration strives to ensure the scheme's benefits reach every eligible student in a timely and transparent way, ensuring that no dream remains unfulfilled merely due to a lack of resources.