S.T. Bus Pass Fee Concession Scheme For Government / Non Government Primary, Secondary, Higher Secondary and Higher Technical Education Students

What is the S.T. Bus Pass Fee Concession Scheme?

S.T. Bus Pass Fee Concession Scheme is the Gujarat arrangement under which Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) issues heavily discounted bus passes to students, so that the cost of daily travel does not keep a child out of school. "S.T." stands for State Transport, the name by which GSRTC buses have been known across Gujarat for decades.

The scheme covers a very wide student population: government and non-government recognised institutions, from primary through secondary, higher secondary and higher technical education. In practice this means Standards 1 to 12 plus technical courses, which is most of the school-going population outside the big city bus networks.

Why the scheme matters is a matter of geography. Gujarat's secondary and higher secondary schools and its technical institutes are concentrated in taluka and district towns, while a large share of students live in villages with no school past a certain standard. For those families the daily bus fare is a recurring cost that competes directly with the decision to keep a child, particularly a girl, in school. The concession removes most of that cost.

Applications are handled through the GSRTC e-pass system at pass.gsrtc.in, which the corporation describes as a way to "apply, renew and track concession bus passes for students" alongside its passenger and MANPASAND pass products.

Who is eligible for the student bus pass concession?

You can apply if:

• You are a resident of Gujarat studying in the state.
• You are enrolled in a recognised institution, government or non-government; in Standards 1 to 12, or in a higher technical education course.
• You can produce a bonafide certificate or student identity card for the current academic year, issued by the institution.
• You travel to the institution on a GSRTC route between a fixed boarding point and the institution.
• You have a passport-size photograph and an identity document that matches the name on the bonafide certificate.

You cannot apply, or are not eligible, if:

• You are not currently enrolled, or your bonafide certificate is for a previous academic year. Studentship must be current.
• Your institution is not recognised, since the scheme is framed around government and non-government recognised institutions.
• You want the concession for travel unrelated to study. A student pass is tied to the route between home and institution.
• You are studying outside Gujarat, or travelling on a route GSRTC does not operate.
• Your name on the identity proof does not match the bonafide certificate, in which case the application is held until the mismatch is corrected.

What does the concession give a student?

The benefit is a GSRTC pass issued at a concessional fee rather than a cash payment. Listings derived from the myScheme record for this scheme put the concession at approximately 82.5 per cent of the normal pass fare. The rupee amount payable is not a single statewide figure, it depends on the route and distance, and the GSRTC e-pass portal displays the calculated amount before payment.

What the pass gives in practice:

• A fixed, predictable travel cost for the term instead of a daily fare.
• A route-linked pass between the boarding point and the institution.
• Digital issue and renewal, so a family does not have to queue at a depot each term.

Because the pass is route-linked, journeys outside the sanctioned route are charged at ordinary fares. Students who change school, hostel or boarding village mid-year should apply afresh for the new route rather than continue on the old pass.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the S.T. bus pass concession

1. Get the bonafide certificate from your school, college or technical institute for the current academic year, showing your name, standard or course and the institution's details. Check that your name is spelt exactly as on your Aadhaar or school identity card.
2. Open the GSRTC e-pass portal at pass.gsrtc.in and select Student Pass.
3. Choose New Pass Request and register or log in with your mobile number.
4. Fill the pass details, student name, institution, standard or course, and the boarding point and destination that define your route. This route selection determines the fare and cannot be changed casually later.
5. Upload the documents — bonafide certificate, photograph and identity proof: in the formats the portal accepts.
6. Review the calculated pass fee shown by the portal for your route and complete the payment online.
7. Collect or download the issued pass as the portal directs, and carry it on every journey. A pass without the accompanying student identity is often questioned by conductors.
8. Renew before the next academic year through the same portal, with a fresh bonafide certificate.

How do I check or renew my pass?

Students track a pass through the same pass.gsrtc.in account used to apply. The corporation's e-pass system is built around three functions, apply, renew and track, so an existing pass, its validity and its route are all visible after login.

Renewal is not automatic. A pass issued against a bonafide certificate for one academic year lapses when that year ends, and the next year needs a fresh certificate. Families who renew in the first week of term avoid the crush and avoid paying full fare in the interim.

Why do student pass applications get refused?

• Bonafide certificate missing or expired, which is the single most common cause.
• Name mismatch between the bonafide certificate, the identity proof and the application.
• Institution not recognised, so studentship cannot be established for the scheme.
• Wrong route selected, with a boarding point that does not match the student's actual residence.
• Poor quality photograph upload, which the portal or depot rejects.
• Payment not completed, leaving the request open but the pass unissued.
• Applying as a former student after leaving the institution.

How the student pass differs from other GSRTC passes

GSRTC's e-pass system carries three products, and only one of them is the concession scheme described here:

• Student passes, which the corporation describes as passes students "apply, renew and track". The concessional product, tied to studentship and a route.
• Passenger passes, for regular commuters, issued through what GSRTC calls a quick approval process and priced without the student concession.
• MANPASAND passes, which let the holder choose their own routes and travel timings, and are aimed at flexibility rather than concession.

A family that buys a passenger pass by mistake pays substantially more than the student rate for the same journey. When applying, confirm that Student Pass is selected before entering route details.

Help and grievance redressal

• GSRTC e-pass portal: pass.gsrtc.in for new passes, renewals and tracking.
• GSRTC: gsrtc.in for depot and division contact details and passenger services.
• Your institution's office, which issues the bonafide certificate and is the quickest fix for a name or standard mismatch.
• Nearest GSRTC depot, for issues with a pass already issued, such as a route correction or a lost pass.

There is no fee beyond the concessional pass amount shown on the portal, and no intermediary is needed to obtain a student pass.