West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme
Registered No. WB/SC-247
No. WB(Part-I)/2021/SAR-275
PART I—Orders and Notifications by the Governor of West Bengal, the High Court, Government Treasury, etc.
GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BIKASH BHABAN, SALT LAKE
KOLKATA-700091
No. 142L/OM–90L/2021
Date: 30.06.2021
NOTIFICATION
Subject: Student Credit Card Scheme
Whereas, the State Government in the School Education and Higher Education Departments has made a huge expansion in the school/ higher education institutions as well as its infrastructures and other academic facilities since 2011, resulting thereby an increase of Gross Enrolment from 11.8 lakhs to 16.6 lakhs at Higher Secondary level after passing Class X and 13.24 lakhs to 21.61 lakhs at higher education level, and
Whereas, the State Government has upgrading 2700 schools to Secondary/ Higher Secondary level and set up 19 new State-aided Universities, 11 Private Universities and 51 new General Degree colleges since 2011. Every year about 12.00 lakhs and 9.5 lakhs students qualify Class X and class XII exams respectively in the State of West Bengal, to pursue the higher studies in schools, Madrasahs, colleges, Universities and other institutes like IITs, IIMs, IISc, IIESTs, ISIs, NLUs, AIIMSs, NITs, XLRI, BITS, SPA, NID, IIFTs, ICFAI Business School etc. or studying in various coaching institutes for appearing in different competitive examinations like IAS, IPS, WBCS, SSC etc. About 38 Lakh students take admission at Secondary (class X), Higher Secondary (Class XI & XII), UG and PG levels respectively in the State every year, and
Whereas, in order to enhance the quality of higher education and to facilitate meritorious poor students, the State Government has already started Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-means scholarship Scheme and Kanyashree Prakalpa (K3) for college/ University going students and every year about 1, 40,000 students avail the benefits under these Schemes, and
Whereas, in order to further encourage the students to pursue higher studies and to facilitate them with necessary funds for pursuing the same, the State Government proposes to support the students by providing a Credit Card, having a maximum limit of Rs. 10 lakhs available at nominal rate of 4% simple interest rate per annum, so that the students can avail necessary fund as and when needed for their studies, and Therefore, in view of the above the following scheme is adopted to achieve the above-mentioned purposes: –
SCHEME
1. Short title and Commencement: –
(a) This scheme shall be called the West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme.
(b) It shall come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions: –
Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the meaning assigned against each of them under this scheme as follows: –
(a) “Academic year” means the annual period during which academic instructions are provided to the students generally commencing from 1st of July, every year.
(b) “Bank” for the purpose of this Scheme means the State Co-operative Banks or Central Co-operative Banks or District Central Co-operative Banks or any other Public and private sector Banks, as may be determined and notified by the State Government from time to time.
(c) “College” includes Private self-financing College.
(d) “Course fee” includes tuition fees, examination fees, library fees, caution deposits etc., to be charged by the School, College, University, or Institution in which the student concerned is receiving academic instruction.
(e) “Credit Card” for the purpose of this scheme shall means a physical plastic card issued by the Bank against which the holder i.e., the student borrower can avail specific financial services on credit up to a specific amount on some specific rate of interest upon executing an appropriate loan agreement.
(f) “Institute” means an institution imparting secondary/ higher secondary level education and above in any branch of Study.
(g) “Legal guardian” means a person having been in charge of a student (in absence of his Father and Mother,
including stepfather and stepmother) lawfully, as permitted under the personal law of inheritance and succession of the student concerned or some other person declared as such, by any competent court of Law in India.
(h) “Living expenses” means an expense incurred by a student for living outside from his residence during the course of study.
(i) “Professional course” includes the courses done in medicine, surgery, engineering, architecture, law, business, economics, accountancy, physiotherapy, psychology, technology, education, etc. which are recognized by any statutory authority in India constituted as such under any Central or State enactments or any statutory authority of any other Country.
(j) “Resident of West Bengal” means a student, or his parent or legal guardian is residing in West Bengal at least for a period of 10 (Ten) years preceding the date of application made under this scheme.
(k) “School” means school providing secondary and higher secondary education and includes private schools under the administrative control of the boards/ councils active in the State of West Bengal.
(l) “Student” means a student pursuing education from class 10 onwards from a recognized Board active in the State of West Bengal or studying in various coaching Institutes or pursuing undergraduate/ postgraduate degree or professional or diploma courses including research scholar pursuing doctoral or post-doctoral research studies.
(m) “State Government” means the Government of West Bengal in the Higher Education Department.
(n) “University” includes Private Universities and Deemed Universities.
Objective of the Scheme: – The Student Credit Card Scheme outlined herein aims at providing financial support/ assistance by the State Government at a nominal interest rate (with suitable guarantees to the bank) to the students residing in West Bengal for at least 10 years and pursuing education from class 10 onwards, or studying in various coaching institutes for appearing in different competitive examinations like Engineering/ Medical/ Law, IAS, IPS, WBCS, SSC etc., UPSC, PSC, SSC etc., and pursuing Undergraduate, Postgraduate courses including professional degree, Diploma courses and research at doctoral/ post-doctoral level or other similar courses in schools, Madrasahs, colleges, Universities and other institutes like IITs, IIMs, IIESTs ISIs, NLUs, AIIMSs, NITs, XLRI, BITS, SPA, NID, IISc, IIFTs, ICFAI Business School etc., within or outside the country, who are unable to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. The main emphasis is that students are provided with an opportunity to pursue higher education, with the financial support from the banking system with reasonable and affordable terms and conditions. Under this Scheme the aspiring students may upon fulfilling the terms and conditions detailed herein, obtain maximum loan of Rs. 10.00 lakhs at the rate of 4% simple interest from State Cooperative Banks and its affiliated Central Cooperative Banks and District Central Cooperative Banks and Public Sector/ Private Sector Banks operating in the State of West Bengal.
Purpose: –
1. Under this scheme the Credit Card may be used to avail loan to meet up the following expenses: –
(a) Course fees payable to the School/ Madrasah/ College/ University / Professional Institutes like IITs, IIMs, IIESTs, ISIs, NLUs, AIIMSs, NITs, XLRI, IISCs, BITS, SPA, NID, IIFTs, ICFAI Business School etc. various competitive coaching institutes meant for different competitive examinations like Engineering/Medical/Law, IAS, IPS, WBCS, SSC etc.
(b) Fees required for accommodation in School/ Madrasah/ College/ University/ Institution hostel or rent/ license fees payable for living outside the hostel or fees required for living as a Paying Guest.
(c) Fees payable for caution deposit/ building fund / refundable deposit/ examination/ library/ laboratory fees to be supported by Institution’s bills/ receipts.
(d) Cost of purchasing of books/ Computer/ Lap-top/ Tablet/ equipments etc.
(e) Any other expense required to complete the course such as study tours, project works, thesis, etc.
(f) The student can incur expenditure up to 30% of the total loan sanctioned for non-institutional expenses for the whole course of study.
(g) Up to 20% of the total loan sanctioned can be used as living expenses for the duration of the course.
2. Expenses incurred in any of the above purposes shall have to be reported to the bank and the Department via online Portal with proper receipts/ bills/ documents by the concerned student.
5. Student Eligibility and the process: –
(a) The student seeking loan under the scheme should be an Indian national and resident of West Bengal for the last 10 years. Self-declaration by the student as appended in the application form will be accepted. A copy of application format is annexed at Annexure-I.
(b) Student must have got himself enrolled for higher studies including courses as stated in para 3 of this scheme, either within or outside the country, in the School, Madrasahs, colleges, Universities and other institutes like IITs, IIMs, IISc, IIESTs, ISIs, NLUs, AIIMSs, NITs, XLRI, BITS, SPA, NID, IIFTs, ICFAI Business School etc. or studying in various coaching institutes for appearing in different competitive examinations like Engineering/ Medical/ Law, , IAS, IPS, WBCS, SSC etc.
(c) Aspiring Student will apply online as per the format given at Annexure-I, through a web-based portal to be maintained by the Higher Education Department through the respective School/ Madrasah/ College/ University/ Institute in which he has got enrolled. The portal will have dashboard for each such student which shall be accessible to the Institutes concerned, the Department and the Bank.
(d) The interested students should not be aged more than 40 (forty) years at the time of applying for loan The student applied for the credit card will link preferably their AADHAR Card or the Class X registration number with the concerned portal while applying to the Higher Education Department through their respective Institution.
(f) The Higher Education Department will forward the applications after due examination to the Bank for sanction and issuance of Credit Card.
(g) The concerned Bank will sanction the applications after due examination and issue the credit card in physical form based on the recommendation given by the Department and upon complying necessary formalities by the student/ guardian/ parent as required under RBI guidelines.
(h) There shall be a Nodal officer for maintaining the web-based portal at the Department, Institution and the Bank level who shall have permission to access the student’s dashboard availing loan under this scheme.
(i) The student concerned needs to upload his progress report card/ statement on completion of each semester / year examinations.
WB Student Credit Card Scheme Gazette Notification PDF Download
How to Apply Student Credit Card in West Bengal?
Step 1:
Please download the scheme document and read carefully before proceeding for registration
Step 2:
Please keep the following documents with you before registration process.
(a) Colour Photograph of the applicant (should be in .jpeg / .jpg between50 KB and 20 KB)
(b) Colour Photograph of the co-applicant / co-borrower (should be in .jpeg / .jpg format, between 50 KB and 20 KB)
(c) Signature of the student (should be in .jpeg / .jpg format, between 50 KB and 10 KB)
(d) Co-borrower / Guardian’s signature (should be in .jpeg / .jpg, format, between 50 KB and 10 KB)
(e) Student’s AADHAR Card (should be in .pdf format, between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(f) Student’s Class 10th Board registration certificate (if no AADHAR card) (should be in .pdf format between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(g) Guardian’s Address Proof (should be in .pdf format between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(h) Admission Receipt (should be in .pdf between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(i) Student’s PAN Card / undertaking if there is no PAN Card (should be in .pdf format between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(j) Guardian’s PAN Card / undertaking if there is no PAN Card (should be in .pdf format between 400 KB and 50 KB)
(k) Relevant page of the brochure / document detaining course fee / tuition fee (should be in .pdf format between 400 KB and 50 KB)
Step 3:
Online Registration:
Visit www.wb.gov.in or https://banglaruchchashiksha.wb.gov.in and click STUDENT CREDIT CARD tab or Log in to https://wbscc.wb.gov.in Click on REGISTRATION OF STUDENT form option, fill up the Registration of Student form and then Click on Register button to generate user id and password.
USER MANUAL FOR THE STUDENT CREDIT CARD SCHEME PDF DOWNLOAD
FAQ ON WEST BENGAL STUDENT CREDIT CARD SCHEME
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What is the official website for West Bengal Student’s Credit Card Scheme?” answer-0=”Visit official website for the Higher Education Department https://banglaruchchashiksha.wb.gov.in or https://wb.gov.in and click on tab STUDENT CREDIT CARD or visit https://wbscc.wb.gov.in and click Student Registration.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What is the help desk number to West Bengal SCC scheme?” answer-1=”West Bengal State Help Desk no. of the SCC scheme is 18001028014 (Toll free)” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Is there any support mail ID relting to West Bengal SCC scheme?” answer-2=”Support mail ID is support-wbscc@bangla.gov.in” image-2=”” headline-3=”h2″ question-3=”What is the maximum amount of loan eligible under the scheme?” answer-3=”Maximum amount of loan eligible under the scheme is Rs. 10(ten) lakhs.” image-3=”” headline-4=”h2″ question-4=”What is the minimum eligibility to apply for loan under the West Bengal SCC scheme?” answer-4=”Minimum eligibility to apply for the loan under the SCC scheme is Class IX passed from any of the recognized Boards which are active in West Bengal. The applying student is also to be enrolled in Class X or for 10+2 or higher education in any course in any recognised Higher Education Institution or in a coaching institute for appearing in entrance examination for admission in medical/engineering/law courses or for competitive examinations like UPSC/ PSC/SSC etc. for availing loan under SCC scheme. The applying student or his family has to be a resident of the State of West Bengal at least for a period of 10 (Ten) years preceding the date of application.” image-4=”” count=”5″ html=”true” css_class=””]