ISLAMABAD:Around 652 transgender people have applied for Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship Program (EUSP) this year, according to the data compiled after the closing of web portal by the end of year.
“Around 122,744 undergraduate students including 50,048 girls and 652 Transgender people applied under the scholarship program. As many as 50,000 students will be provided scholarships under the program including 50 percent girl students”, an official source revealed.
The EUSP is targeted at students from low-income families earning less than Rs 45,000 a month and marginalized regions to assist them in their undergraduate studies. 135 public sector universities recognized by the Higher Education Commission are part of this program.
Students enrolled in 4 to 5-year undergraduate programs of public sector universities were eligible to submit scholarship applications for the year 2021.
In the last two years, 142,000 Ehsaas scholarships were awarded to undergraduate students nationwide while this year also, 50,000 scholarships will be awarded to deserving students. The program covers the hundred percent tuition fees and a monthly stipend.
The total budget of the program is Rs. 24 billion. Over the span of four years, 200,000 undergraduate scholarships will be awarded on a need and merit basis with 50 percent scholarships reserved for girls.