Vegshakti Mahila Kalyan Sangathan signs MoU with IIT Gandhinagar to support two BTech female students

Gandhinagar: Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) and Vegshakti Mahila Kalyan Sangathan (VMKS), a registered society under the aegis of National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide financial support to two BTech female students of IIT Gandhinagar.

The MoU was signed between Ms Sarita Khare, President, VMKS, and Prof Sudhir K Jain, Director, IITGN, on October 8, 2020. As a part of this benevolent agreement, IITGN has agreed to establish ‘Vegshakti Mahila Kalyan Sangathan Scholarship’ at the Institute, which would provide financial support of Rs 75,000/- per year towards educational expenses of each of the two selected female students for the period of four years of their BTech at IITGN.

This scholarship will be given to first-year BTech female students of IITGN who have cleared IIT JEE Mains and Advanced exams and have confirmed admission at the Institute. Same female students will be given the benefit of this scholarship during their UG program every year, up to four years, provided they fulfil the academic criteria for annual renewal of the scholarship. Preference will be given to the female students enrolled in Civil / Computer Science & Engineering / Electrical / Materials Engineering / Mechanical engineering discipline at the Institute.

Expressing his thoughts, Prof Sudhir K Jain, Director, IITGN, said, “IITGN has always believed in inclusivity and encouraged its students to pursue academic excellence no matter where they come from and regardless of their financial situation. I am very happy that VMKS has come forward to establish ‘Vegshakti Mahila Kalyan Sangathan Scholarship’ to financially support female students at IITGN. This would certainly give an impetus to STEM education for girls and encourage them to pursue their dreams.”

Sharing the motivation behind establishing this scholarship at IITGN, Ms Sarita Khare, President, VMKS said, “I strongly believe that if you educate a girl, you educate a nation. VMKS aims to create many more such opportunities for meritorious girls from the economically weaker section of the country, in the years to come and encourage them to fulfill their ambitions. We sincerely thank IITGN for their association.”