Scholarship Scheme for Girl Children of Jute Mills / MSMEs Workers

What is the Scholarship Scheme for Girl Children of Jute Mills / MSMEs Workers?

The Scholarship Scheme for Girl Children of Jute Mills / MSMEs Workers is a welfare scheme run by the National Jute Board (NJB), a statutory body under the Ministry of Textiles. The scheme gives a cash recognition award to the daughters of workers in the jute industry when they pass their board examinations, so that families on modest wages are encouraged to keep girls in school and reduce dropout.

According to the National Jute Board, the award is Rs 5,000 on passing Class 10 (the secondary board examination) and Rs 10,000 on passing Class 12 (the higher secondary examination). It is a one-time award for each of these milestones, not a recurring stipend.

The scheme draws its authority from the National Jute Board Act, 2008, which directs the Board to "secure better working conditions and provisions and improvement of amenities and incentives for workers engaged in the jute industry." Supporting the education of workers' daughters is treated as one such incentive.

Key features

• Run by the National Jute Board under the Ministry of Textiles.
• One-time cash award of Rs 5,000 (Class 10) and Rs 10,000 (Class 12).
• Covers daughters of workers in both organised jute mills and smaller MSME Jute Diversified Product (JDP) units.
• Applications are verified and forwarded by the employer, not filed individually.

Who is eligible for the jute workers' girl child scholarship?

You can be considered if:

• You are a girl child of a worker employed in a jute mill or an MSME JDP unit.
• Your parent is employed in the jute sector at the time the claim is made.
• You have passed the Class 10 or Class 12 board examination for which the award is claimed.

You cannot apply if:

• The parent is not a worker in a jute mill or a recognised MSME JDP unit. The scheme is limited to families inside the jute industry workforce.
• The claim is for a boy child. The scheme is specifically for girl children.
• The examination milestone has not been passed, since the award is tied to a Class 10 or Class 12 pass result.

Because the award is disbursed through the employer, workers in units that are not registered or recognised in the jute sector may find that their unit cannot forward a claim. In such cases the parent should first confirm with the unit's management or the National Jute Board whether the unit is covered.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the jute workers' girl child scholarship

The scheme does not have a public self-registration portal. Applications move through the employer, so the process is:

1. Confirm eligibility with your employer. Ask the jute mill or JDP unit's welfare or HR office whether it participates in the National Jute Board girl-child scholarship and collect the claim format used.
2. Gather the documents. Keep the girl child's Class 10 or Class 12 mark sheet, the parent's employment certificate, proof of relationship and bank account details ready.
3. Submit the claim to the employer. Hand the completed form and documents to the mill/unit, which verifies that the parent is its worker and that the exam result is genuine.
4. Employer forwards it to the National Jute Board. The unit consolidates and sends verified claims to the NJB, which sanctions and releases the award.
5. Receive the award. On approval, the Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 award is paid to the beneficiary's/parent's bank account.

Because timelines and formats are set by the Board and communicated through employers, workers should follow up with their unit's welfare office rather than approach the Board directly.

How much does the scheme pay?

The scheme pays a one-time Rs 5,000 when the girl child passes the Class 10 board examination and a one-time Rs 10,000 when she passes the Class 12 examination. A daughter can therefore receive the award twice across her schooling; once at each milestone — provided the parent remains an eligible jute-sector worker and each claim is verified.

There is no recurring monthly component and no tuition-reimbursement element; the award is a lump-sum recognition of the exam achievement.

Help and where to check

• Employer welfare/HR office, the first point of contact, since claims are routed through the jute mill or JDP unit.
• National Jute Board, Kolkata, the sanctioning authority under the Ministry of Textiles.
• Ministry of Textiles (texmin.gov.in), for the wider list of jute-sector schemes.

Note on figures: the Rs 5,000 / Rs 10,000 award amounts and the "17,543 girl children" disbursement figure are drawn from Ministry of Textiles and Press Information Bureau material on National Jute Board schemes. Any worker should confirm the current award value and claim window with their employer or the Board before applying, as scheme parameters are periodically revised.