‘Honhaar Scholarship Programme’ inaugurated’

LAHORE: On the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Minister for Higher Education Rana Sikandar Hayat Khan on Friday inaugurated ‘Honhaar Undergraduate Scholarship Programme’ for the financial assistance of talented students in Punjab.

In this regard, a launching ceremony was organised at Punjab University in which PU Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali, Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab officials, faculty members and students were present.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said Honhaar Undergraduate Scholarship was the largest scholarship programme in the history of Pakistan under which 30,000 intelligent students of public and private universities will benefit from the scheme.

Rana Sikandar said that the fee of the four-year BS degree programme of the students would be paid every year on behalf of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz under the scholarship programme and every year new students would also be included in the scheme.

The minister said that the eligibility criteria regarding family income range has been set with the monthly income of Rs300,000 to support upper middle class families in the programme. He said that students of government medical colleges would also be included in this scheme.

He said that students would be given scholarships in 67 disciplines which are in high demand worldwide. He said that the Scholarship Programme would help in producing the best human resource. He said that chief minister has launched a number of initiatives for the welfare of the youth and she will soon distribute 40,000 laptops among the intelligent students of Punjab.

Punjab University VC Dr Muhammad Ali said that the Programme would be a revolution in the field of higher education. He said that the meritorious scholarship programme would produce skilled and quality graduates in various fields.

He said that the scholarship programme would strengthen the higher education sector in the province. On this occasion, the minister also spoke to the students and answered the questions related to the scholarship scheme.