The Assam government has initiated the online application process for its flagship Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni (MMNMA), a scheme designed to provide financial assistance to eligible girl students pursuing higher education across the state. Students in Class 11 and Class 12, among others, are required to submit their applications through the DARPAN Portal, with the deadline for online submission set for September 5, 2026.
This initiative, first announced in the state budget for 2024-25 and relaunched in 2025-26, aims to empower approximately one million (Nijut) girl students by reducing dropout rates and combating child marriage in Assam. The scheme provides monthly financial incentives directly to beneficiaries, ensuring continued academic participation and supporting young women in their educational journeys.
What was announced
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally launched the application process for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni, alongside the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Aasoni for male students, at a function in Guwahati on August 6, 2026. The application forms for the MMNMA are being distributed across 452 educational institutions in Assam. The scheme mandates an online application process via the DARPAN Portal for Class 11 and 12 students, as per official instructions.
The Higher Education Department, Government of Assam, is the implementing authority for this scheme. The initiative was first announced in paragraph 31 (I) of the Budget Speech 2024-25, with a vision to support 10 lakh girls with financial grants to continue their education.
Why it matters
The Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni is a crucial step towards enhancing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) among girls in Assam and addressing the persistent issue of child marriage. By offering financial assistance, the government seeks to alleviate economic pressures on families, thereby encouraging girls to pursue education beyond matriculation.
Government officials familiar with the matter stated that the scheme is expected to cover around one million girl students and was estimated to cost the exchequer Rs 300 crore in the first year and approximately Rs 1,500 crore over a five-year period. In the 2024-25 academic year, around 1.6 lakh girls received assistance, which expanded to approximately four lakh beneficiaries in 2025-26. The government anticipates including another one lakh beneficiaries in the current financial year.
Chief Minister Sarma emphasised that the scheme aims to encourage more girls to pursue higher studies, become economically independent, and marry at an appropriate age. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu described the scheme as a “historic step for women’s education in Assam,” undertaken to combat child marriage and provide a secure educational future for girl students.
Background
Assam has historically faced challenges with female dropout rates after matriculation and a high incidence of child marriage. The National Family Health Survey 2019-21 indicated that 31.8 per cent of women aged 20-24 in the state were mothers, suggesting many married before the legal age of 18. These factors often lead to girls discontinuing their education due to financial constraints, social conditions, or early marriage.
The MMNMA is part of a broader series of educational reforms and welfare initiatives by the Assam government. Other schemes include the ‘Pragyan Bharati’ scheme, which provides free textbooks, fee waivers, and laptops to meritorious students, and the ‘Anundoram Borooah Award Scheme’. Recently, the government also launched the ‘Shiksha Yatra’ initiative to identify and reintegrate out-of-school children, and the ‘Second Chance Education’ initiative for out-of-school adolescents and young adults, particularly girls and young women.
The MMNMA was initially launched on August 8, 2024, with Chief Minister Sarma stating its objective to empower girls through education and combat child marriage. The scheme has seen an increase in beneficiaries, from over 1.6 lakh students in 2024-25 to over 3.5 lakh in the 2025-26 academic year, indicating a rising enrolment of girls in higher education.
Key details
The Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni provides monthly financial assistance for 10 months in an academic year.
- Girl students enrolled in Class 11 receive ₹1,000 per month, totalling ₹10,000 annually.
- Those in the first year of graduation (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com) receive ₹1,250 per month, amounting to ₹12,500 annually.
- Post-graduate and B.Ed students receive ₹2,500 per month, totalling ₹25,000 annually.
- Polytechnic students receive ₹800 per month in the first two years and ₹1,250 per month in the third year.
The financial assistance is disbursed directly into the students’ Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). No payouts occur during June and July, which are typically vacation months.
Eligibility criteria include being a permanent resident of Assam and studying in government or provincialised (venture) educational institutions. Students in private institutions are not eligible. Married girls are generally not eligible, with an exception for those pursuing postgraduate or B.Ed courses. Daughters of Ministers, MPs, and MLAs are also excluded from the scheme.
Students who have received a scooter under the Banikanta Kakati Award (Pragyan Bharati Scheme) are not eligible, though those who opt out of the scooter may apply for MMNMA. The Higher Education Department’s Mobility Grant Scheme has been merged with MMNMA.
The application process is primarily online through the DARPAN Portal (https://darpan.ahseconline.in/). Students must ensure their Aadhaar details, bank account information, and name in SAMARTH/DARPAN match precisely for seamless processing.
Reactions
“This ambitious scheme, undertaken by the state government to combat child marriage and to provide a secure educational future for girl students, is a historic step for women’s education in Assam,” Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the Nijut Moina Aasoni has “emerged as a beacon of hope for fulfilling the dreams of every girl child in Assam” and has “proved to be a force in empowering girls who are excelling in different sectors of life.” He further noted that “not a single girl who was promoted from first to second year dropped out last year,” attributing this success to the scheme.
What’s next
The online application window for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni is open until September 5, 2026. Students are required to submit both their online application and a printed hard copy to their respective educational institutions by September 6, 2026. Institutions will then verify and forward the applications to the Higher Education Department for final approval.
The benefits are expected to be disbursed to all eligible beneficiaries from October 11, 2026, via DBT. For subsequent years, students will not need to reapply, but a certificate from the head of the institution confirming their continued enrolment will be sufficient.
Quick FAQs
What is the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni?
It is a financial assistance scheme by the Assam Government for eligible girl students pursuing higher secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses in government or government-aided institutions.
Who is eligible to apply?
Girl students who are permanent residents of Assam, enrolled in Class 11, first-year undergraduate, or first-year postgraduate/B.Ed courses in government or provincialised institutions are eligible. Specific exclusions apply, such as married girls (with exceptions for PG/B.Ed), daughters of Ministers/MPs/MLAs, and recipients of the Banikanta Kakati Award.
How much financial assistance is provided?
Eligible students receive monthly stipends for 10 months a year: ₹1,000 for Class 11, ₹1,250 for undergraduate first year, and ₹2,500 for postgraduate/B.Ed first year. Polytechnic students also receive assistance.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline for online submission through the DARPAN Portal is September 5, 2026, and for submitting hard copies to institutions is September 6, 2026.
Sources & References
Source: AssamJobSeeker.com; DARPAN Portal; Directorate of Higher Education, Assam