Govt relaxes qualification bar under Marriage Assistance Scheme for poor girls

Srinagar, Oct 27: In a significant move aimed at expanding the reach of welfare benefits, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday announced relaxation in the minimum educational qualification under the Marriage Assistance Scheme for poor girls.

According to an order copy, the administration has decided to relax the minimum qualification requirement of “8th class pass or equivalent” up to March 31, 2028.

The decision, taken in partial modification of Government Order No. 49-JK(SWD) of 2022 dated March 22, 2022, has been approved following the Council of Ministers’ Decision No. 109/17/2025 dated October 15, 2025 and the Finance Department’s concurrence vide UO No. FD-Code/314/2025-02-311 dated October 3, 2025.

The relaxation will be effective from April 1, 2025 onwards, the order stated, adding that an amendment to the 2022 order has been annexed as “Annexure A”.

Further, the government has detailed the procedure for processing applications that were earlier rejected due to the qualification bar, as well as for those who could not apply because of the same condition. The revised procedure has been outlined in Annexure “B” of the order.

The Marriage Assistance Scheme for Poor Girls is a key social welfare initiative that provides financial support to girls from underprivileged backgrounds at the time of their marriage.