Scholarship for underprivileged girls in Delhi help support their academic dreams

At an event in north Delhi’s Sangam park, seventy girls were awarded fellowships to pursue their dreams which would have been otherwise stifled due to their family's monetary conditions. The Udayan Care Shalini Fellowship was started in 2002 to support girls who have scored at least 60% in their class 10 examinations and their family income is less than 3 lakhs per annum. The selection process hinges on three words- need, ambition and talent.

The data from the government’s USDIE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) show zero dropouts till primary level but jumps to 7.5% at the secondary level. A lot of girls are unable to pursue education after X due to various constraints.

Kiran Modi the founder of Udaya Care told TOI, a lot of girls drop out after class 10 due to marriage, socio-economic issues and the need to work. She explains that the fellowship is not only limited to financial support but it also comprises 60 skill-building modules, multi-level mentoring and 50 hours of social work.


TOI reported that 1610 girls from north Delhi and 700 girls from South and East Delhi combined have been supported by the fellowship since 2002. Many went on to become teachers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and social workers.

The parents of the girl were as optimistic. One parent said, I am hopeful my child will get what I couldn't do.

Among the recipients was 16-year-old Mannat Arora, a Class XI student who dreams of becoming a psychologist. She recalled how a fellowship mentor visited her school in Rohini. "Our teachers told us some seniors had benefited from it. I knew there could be hurdles due to financial strain and lack of guidance at home, so I felt this opportunity would be the best for me," she said. Her father, Pankaj, once a construction worker and now a porter earning barely ₹1 lakh a year, said the fellowship held deep meaning for their family. A bright student who had to drop out after Class X due to financial constraints, he shared, "I know what it feels like to need support and not have it. This fellowship is like a chance for my daughter to pursue what I could not."

Fifteen-year-old Kiran, who is studying science in Class XI and aspires to become a scientist, attended the event with her mother, Pushpa. Divorced when Kiran was just six months old, Pushpa once worked as a domestic helper and now sells vegetables. "I want my daughter to be independent, so she never has to take up the kind of work I was forced into," she said. For her, the fellowship represents dignity and a better future.

Lizza, who scored 93% in her Class X exams, also hopes to pursue science despite financial challenges. Her mother had encouraged her to opt for arts because science courses are more expensive. But Lizza stood firm. "I'm glad she followed her passion," said her mother, Ruby. It was a neighbour’s success with the same fellowship that reassured Ruby that her daughter, too, could carve out a bright future.

(With inputs from TOI)