<div>Gujarat government’s attempt to placate the agitating Patels on the quota issue by announcing a financial aid package for EWS students failed to have the intended effect as protesters rejected it as “lollypop”. <br /><br />Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who announced the package on Thursday afternoon, said the state government would offer financial aid to meritorious students from the economically weaker section to help them pursue medical, engineering and other professional courses.<br /><br />Noting that pro-quota agitators complained about meritorious students opting for self-financing colleges AND PAY HIGHER FEES AS A RESULT OF RESERVATIONS for OBCs, SCs and STs, THE Chief Minister said: “Moving forward, 75 per cent of the seats in self-financing institutions will be reserved for meritorious students. The government would fix the fee structure and pay the fees of deserving EWS students.” <br /><br />Announcing that the government would provide Rs 2,00,000 in annual scholarship for EWS students pursuing medical programmes, Patel said the government would also provide free textbooks for EWS students in higher secondary and high schools. <br /><br />She also addressed a major bone of contention of the protestors by giving five year age relaxation for EWS candidate in government jobs, which was so far available only for the reserved category candidates. <br /><br />Claiming that the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) agitation has lost direction and become an anti-government stir, Patel asked her community members to encourage their wards to take up science programmes in college. <br /><br />“Gujarat has as many as 55 universities, yet many engineering and science seats remain vacant,” she said.<br /><br />PAAS convener Hardik Patel immediately rejected the package and said that they would announce further plan of action after consulting members of the movement’s core committee. <br /><br />PAAS supporters pelted stones at BJP workers gathered to celebrate the new EWS package in Surat’s Varachha locality, prompting police to use teargas shells to disperse the mob. <br /></div>
<div>Gujarat government’s attempt to placate the agitating Patels on the quota issue by announcing a financial aid package for EWS students failed to have the intended effect as protesters rejected it as “lollypop”. <br /><br />Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who announced the package on Thursday afternoon, said the state government would offer financial aid to meritorious students from the economically weaker section to help them pursue medical, engineering and other professional courses.<br /><br />Noting that pro-quota agitators complained about meritorious students opting for self-financing colleges AND PAY HIGHER FEES AS A RESULT OF RESERVATIONS for OBCs, SCs and STs, THE Chief Minister said: “Moving forward, 75 per cent of the seats in self-financing institutions will be reserved for meritorious students. The government would fix the fee structure and pay the fees of deserving EWS students.” <br /><br />Announcing that the government would provide Rs 2,00,000 in annual scholarship for EWS students pursuing medical programmes, Patel said the government would also provide free textbooks for EWS students in higher secondary and high schools. <br /><br />She also addressed a major bone of contention of the protestors by giving five year age relaxation for EWS candidate in government jobs, which was so far available only for the reserved category candidates. <br /><br />Claiming that the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) agitation has lost direction and become an anti-government stir, Patel asked her community members to encourage their wards to take up science programmes in college. <br /><br />“Gujarat has as many as 55 universities, yet many engineering and science seats remain vacant,” she said.<br /><br />PAAS convener Hardik Patel immediately rejected the package and said that they would announce further plan of action after consulting members of the movement’s core committee. <br /><br />PAAS supporters pelted stones at BJP workers gathered to celebrate the new EWS package in Surat’s Varachha locality, prompting police to use teargas shells to disperse the mob. <br /></div>
