The Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), Government of Assam, has issued comprehensive guidelines for the distribution of scooters to eligible girl and boy students who secured 80 per cent or more marks in the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (H.S.S.L.C.) Examination 2026 under the Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award, as part of the broader Pragyan Bharati Scheme. The guidelines, released on June 20, 2026, detail the eligibility criteria, application process, and objectives of the award.
This initiative aims to incentivise academic excellence, promote higher education, and enhance student mobility across the state. The scheme, which has seen modifications over the years, will provide free scooters, including registration and insurance costs, to thousands of meritorious students, with approximately 18,000 students expected to be beneficiaries this year.
What was announced
The Higher Education Department of the Assam Government formally released detailed guidelines for the Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award on June 20, 2026. These guidelines specifically pertain to students who achieved 80 per cent or higher marks in the H.S.S.L.C. Examination 2026, conducted by the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB). The announcement confirms that both girl and boy students meeting the academic benchmark are eligible for the free scooter distribution.
According to the official executive order, the scheme is application-based, and only online applications will be accepted through a dedicated portal. The Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) will procure the list of qualifying students directly from ASSEB and subsequently publish the list of beneficiaries on its official website, dhe.assam.gov.in. Following this, eligible students will be required to complete an online application form. The government has also stipulated that it will cover the costs of scooter registration and insurance, and each recipient will receive a helmet free of charge.
Why it matters
The Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award holds significant importance for students and the state’s educational landscape. The primary objectives of the scheme include fostering a sense of competitiveness among students, encouraging them to achieve higher academic performance, and motivating them to pursue higher education. By providing scooters, the government seeks to improve student mobility, thereby facilitating easier access to higher educational institutions, particularly for those in remote areas. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to the enhancement of the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Assam.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has previously emphasised that such awards are crucial for promoting academic excellence and inspiring a culture of achievement among the youth. The provision of personal transport is seen as a practical step towards removing logistical barriers that might otherwise hinder students from continuing their studies beyond Class 12. For the 2026 batch, approximately 18,000 students are anticipated to benefit from the scheme, according to statements made during the Assam Budget presentation.
Background
The Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award is an integral component of the Assam government’s broader Pragyan Bharati Scheme, which was initially launched in 2020. The scheme’s evolution reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting meritorious students. Initially, the award primarily targeted meritorious girl students who secured a first division in their Higher Secondary final examinations, aiming to empower them and encourage their participation in higher education.
Over the years, the eligibility criteria have been adjusted to broaden the scheme’s reach and impact. For instance, in the 2024 H.S.S.L.C. Examination, girl students needed to secure 60 per cent or more marks, while boy students required 75 per cent or more to be eligible for the award. However, a significant policy shift occurred from the 2025 academic year, when the criteria were unified, making all students, regardless of gender, eligible if they scored 80 per cent or above in the Higher Secondary Final Examination.
In December 2025, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ceremonially distributed scooters to 11,250 students who had achieved 80 per cent or more in the H.S. Examination 2025. During that event, Chief Minister Sarma noted that while the number of beneficiaries had decreased from 48,673 in the preceding year due to “small changes” in implementation, the government’s overall expenditure on the scheme remained substantial. Between 2017-18 and 2024-25, the state government disbursed scooters to a total of 1,86,442 students, incurring an expenditure exceeding Rs. 1,043 crore.
The award is named in honour of Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati (1894–1952), a towering figure in Assamese intellectual history. Dr. Kakati was a pioneering linguist, literary critic, folklorist, and educationist whose scholarly work laid the foundation for modern Assamese linguistics and cultural studies. His seminal thesis, “Assamese: Its Formation and Development,” published in 1941, established the distinct Indo-Aryan origins of the Assamese language. Naming the award after him underscores the state’s recognition of academic excellence and its connection to a legacy of profound scholarship.
Key details
The guidelines issued by the Directorate of Higher Education outline specific criteria for students aspiring to receive the Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award for the 2026 H.S.S.L.C. batch.
The key eligibility requirements are:
- Students must have secured 80 per cent or more marks in the Higher Secondary Final Examination, 2026, conducted by the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB).
- Only students who passed the examination in their first attempt are eligible; those in the betterment or reappearance categories are not included.
- Applicants must be permanent residents of Assam. Students pursuing higher education outside the state are also eligible, provided they possess a valid Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) of Assam.
- The scheme is exclusively application-based, requiring all eligible students to submit their details through an online portal. No offline applications will be entertained.
- Beneficiaries must continue their studies beyond Class 12.
The distribution process involves the DHE collecting the list of eligible students from ASSEB and publishing it on its official website. Subsequently, a link for online applications will be activated. The DHE will also designate Nodal Principals across the state to facilitate the smooth distribution of scooters. Students will collect an Appreciation Certificate from their respective Nodal Principals, which they will then submit to the allotted scooter dealers. The government will directly manage the payment for scooter registration and insurance to the dealers through the Nodal Principals, ensuring no financial burden on the students.
What’s next
While the guidelines for the 2026 distribution are now in effect, the Assam government has indicated a significant policy change for future academic years. In the Budget for 2026-27, presented on July 10, 2026, Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah announced a proposal to discontinue the distribution of scooters under the Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award from the next academic year.
The decision, according to the Finance Minister, aims to ensure a more equitable distribution of educational support, moving away from assistance confined to a single percentage cut-off. The resources freed up by discontinuing the scooter scheme will be reallocated to strengthen and expand the existing Nijut Moina and the newly institutionalised Nijut Babu schemes. These schemes provide cash assistance to students. Applications for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Asoni are slated to open in August 2026, with benefit transfers commencing from October 2026.
It is important for current beneficiaries of the Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award to note that they will not be eligible for the Nijut Moina Scheme. However, a girl student who chooses to opt out of receiving the scooter may apply for benefits under the Nijut Moina Scheme.