Junior Scholarship Quota to Increase by 20%, Amount Doubled

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has proposed increasing the number of Junior Scholarships at the junior secondary level by 20 per cent, or 9,240 students, and doubling the financial benefits for recipients. The proposal aligns the monthly stipend and one-time grant with current market prices.

A summary of the draft proposal has recently been sent to the Ministry of Education for final approval.

Joint Secretary (Secondary-1 Wing) of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, Saidur Rahman, told BSS that the DSHE has submitted the proposal to increase the number of scholarships and raise the amount. The proposal is under review. Once it receives policy approval, it will be sent to the Finance Division for budget allocation.

A proposal signed by former DSHE Director General Professor Dr Muhammad Azad Khan on 18 September 2025 stated that the scholarship rates have remained unchanged for nine long years since the 2015-16 financial year. The proposal noted that the current amount is inadequate amid rising commodity prices. Therefore, doubling the amount has been suggested to smooth the path of study for meritorious students.

At the same time, the number of students from secondary to graduate level has increased across the country. This has created the need to raise both the number of scholarships and the monthly and one-time grant amounts. The proposal states that, in line with the decision in paragraph 6.0 (6.2) of the Junior Scholarship operational guidelines, a draft has been prepared regarding the number of scholarships, the amount, and the possible budget.

Director General (Additional Charge) of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Professor BM Abdul Hannan, said that initiatives have been taken to increase the monthly stipend and one-time grant in line with current market prices. Once the proposal receives approval from the administrative ministry (Ministry of Education), it will be sent to the Finance Division for budget allocation. After receiving the budget, the increase in scholarship numbers and financial incentives will be implemented.

The Director General said the government has taken this initiative to improve the quality of education and reduce dropout rates. He added that an additional 20 per cent quota and doubling the amount have been proposed to make the path of study smoother for students.

The Government Secondary Branch of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education stated that not only Junior Scholarships but also government scholarships at SSC, HSC, and graduate levels will be increased proportionately.

New Structure and Numbers

According to the DSHE proposal sent to the Ministry of Education, currently 46,200 students across the country receive government Junior Scholarships. Of these, 14,700 are in the Talent Pool and 31,500 in the General Quota. The proposal is to increase this by 20 per cent to 55,440 students, with 17,640 in the Talent Pool and 37,800 in the General Quota.

Amount to Be Doubled

As per the draft proposal, the monthly stipend for Talent Pool will be increased from Tk 450 to Tk 900, and the annual one-time grant from Tk 560 to Tk 1,120. If implemented, a student will receive Tk 11,920 per year, compared to the current Tk 5,960.

For the General Quota, the monthly stipend will rise from Tk 300 to Tk 600, and the annual one-time grant from Tk 350 to Tk 700. This will increase a student’s annual benefit from Tk 3,950 to Tk 7,900. This benefit can be availed for two years until the SSC examination.

The draft budget proposal states that the government currently spends Tk 42 crore 40 lakh 74 thousand over two years for Talent Pool and General scholarships. If the new rates are implemented, the estimated expenditure over two years will rise to nearly Tk 101 crore 77 lakh 77 thousand 600. The government will require an additional Tk 59 crore 37 lakh 3 thousand 600.

Sabina Yasmin, Deputy Secretary (Government Secondary-2) of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, said the proposal is being considered positively. Once the Finance Ministry gives its consent, a government order (GO) will be issued promptly. If this decision is implemented, poor and meritorious students will become more self-reliant in managing their personal study expenses, and the dropout rate will decrease significantly.