Students belonging to economically disadvantaged families end up severely limiting their educational and career horizons due to lack of financial resources, proper educational guidance, and skills required to succeed. 

Only 13% of the eligible youth in the age group of 18-23 are entering into higher education. The major reason is economic challenge. More than 27.5% of Indian population is below poverty line, for whom higher education is only a dream in spite of many having a very high potential. Thousands of students do not go to next level of literacy, do not get employment in spite of being bright and can do well with right interventions and support.

Nurturing Merit -Enabling a Bright Future: An initiative to support the underprivileged bright students to pursue higher levels of literacy leading to employment under Vidya Poshak’s Nurture Merit program.

Nurture Merit Program Is a well-designed, structured and focused program to support bright students coming from economically challenged families. The support is extended to post 10th grade students to continue their college/higher education till completion of graduation leading to a meaningful employment/self employment. The program has the following integrated services.

Financial Assistance: This will cover college fees, transportation and exam fees. Along with this additional amount for coaching is given for a few performers. For some extreme need

• based cases (10%) additional amount is also given to cover room and boarding

• Books & Library Services: Academic text books are lent to the students through libraries and book banks located in rural places. Student will get academic text books on their demand to read for 1-year and then the same books are put in circulation.

• Training through Residential BridgeCamps: Arranging various skill and need based training for the students through residential bridge camps to enhance communication/life skills and employment opportunities. Along with this to ensure creating good, sensitive citizens for the society.

Selection and Identification of students: Vidya Poshak has devised a unique process to identify deserving students. The selection is meticulous and detailed. Following are the activities involved

Step1: Through our 500 strong volunteer network across 12 districts of Karnataka the meritorious economically challenged students get to know about Nurture Merit Program.

Step2:   The students make the initial application through a simple online system.

Step3: Screening by physical visits to student’s dwelling units to asses poverty and need to ensure only deserving applicant received the benefit.

Step4: Orientation/induction to all students covering career awareness, social and self-responsibilities, study skills etc.

Step5: On approval students are given financial assistance along with an induction program, which will cover information about their donors and their responsibilities of being a VP Scholar.

Step6:Depending on their performance, subject to a minimum academic benchmark students are extended continued support till they complete graduation.  

Reporting System & Transparency: The program has a well-structured monitoring and reporting procedure in place.  The progress of each student is closely monitored throughout the support period

The student would be directly connected to his/her sponsorer. The contact details of students along with their profiles are provided to donors.

The students who receive the financial support will communicate to donors regularly. This enables the dual process of instilling a sense of responsibility in students as well as facilitating direct interaction between them and the donors, thereby building satisfying and lasting relationships.

All the financial expenses for every rupee of the donations received from the donor will be shared. Regular updates of the students would be shared with every individual donor.

What we have done till now?

• In all 4300 graduates have settled through gain full employment in their life and brought their families out the clutches of economic backwardness.
• 1,00,000 students and 4,866 teachers and 4,734 employees were trained through different training program.
• More than 20,000 utilize our library services every year.

Overall 300 Million Indian rupees invested in last 15 years for Empowerment of Youth.

Approximate Cost:

Note: The donations are exempt under 80 G of Income Tax Act for Indian donors and Tax benefit for USA donors (501(c)3) through ASTI.  10% of the donation amount will be utilized for the Program support expenses.