Patna: Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced that loans issued under the Bihar Student Credit Card (BSCC) scheme will now be interest-free, marking a significant relief for students in the state. The announcement was made via a social media post, ahead of the upcoming state elections.
“I am very happy to inform that now the amount of education loan given under the Student Credit Card Scheme will be interest-free for all applicants,” CM Nitish wrote.
The repayment period for loans has also been extended. Previously, students could repay loans up to Rs 2 lakh over 60 months (five years). This has now been increased to a maximum of 84 months (seven years), while loans exceeding Rs 2 lakh can be repaid over 120 months (ten years). The scheme is expected to benefit around 4 lakh students currently pursuing higher education.
बिहार में 07 निश्चय योजना के अंतर्गत 12वीं कक्षा उत्तीर्ण छात्र जो उच्च शिक्षा प्राप्त करना चाहते हैं उनके लिए 02 अक्टूबर 2016 से बिहार स्टूडेंट क्रेडिट कार्ड योजना लागू है। बिहार स्टूडेंट क्रेडिट कार्ड योजना के अंतर्गत उच्च शिक्षा प्राप्त करने के लिए अधिकतम 04 लाख रुपए का शिक्षा…
— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) September 16, 2025
Launched on Gandhi Jayanti in 2016, the BSCC scheme aims to support financially disadvantaged students in accessing higher education. The initiative provides loans at concessional rates, ensuring that students are not forced to discontinue their studies due to financial constraints. Its slogan is “Education for All.”
Pre-election announcements targeting women and social welfare
The Nitish government has also made a series of pre-election announcements focusing on women and social welfare. These include:
- Reduced interest on Jeevika loans and increased salaries
On 21 June 2025, interest on loans above Rs 3 lakh under the Jeevika Self-Help Group scheme was reduced from 10% to 7%. In addition, the salaries of 1.4 lakh Jeevika employees were doubled, with block-level employees now earning Rs 50,000 per month and village-level employees up to Rs 25,000. The move is expected to benefit women from economically weaker backgrounds who form the bulk of Jeevika participants. - Domicile policy applied to women’s reservations
From 8 July, the Nitish cabinet implemented a domicile requirement for the 35% horizontal reservation for women in government jobs. Women from outside Bihar will now need to apply under the general category. This policy is expected to apply to upcoming recruitments for 1 lakh teachers, 6,500 librarians, constables, and engineers. - Increased remuneration for Asha and Mamta workers
Salaries for Asha health workers rose from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 per month, while Mamta workers will receive Rs 600 per delivery instead of Rs 300. Approximately 95,000 Asha and 4,600 Mamta workers will benefit, with an additional 29,000 Asha workers being reinstated. - Social security pensions raised
The monthly social security pension for widows, the elderly, and persons with disabilities has been increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100, reaching around 1.09 crore beneficiaries. - Promoting women’s entrepreneurship
Through the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, women associated with self-help groups can receive interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh to start businesses after skill development training. - Election-focused initiatives for women
The government’s recent budget includes several women-centric measures, such as pink toilets and buses, mobile gyms, women’s markets, Kanya Mandap schemes for subsidised marriages of poor girls, hostels for working women, and subsidies for e-rickshaw purchases. The initiatives aim to support economically weaker and less-educated women while enhancing employment opportunities.
