Marriage Assistance Scheme: Scrapping of 8th pass rule brings relief to poor girls

Srinagar, Oct 16: In a major relief to hundreds of underprivileged girls across Jammu and Kashmir, the government has removed the controversial requirement of being an 8th class pass for availing benefits under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme. The decision, approved in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has been widely hailed by people from economically weaker sections.

The scheme, aimed at providing one-time financial assistance of Rs 75,000 to poor girls of marriageable age belonging to AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) or PHH (Priority Households) families, earlier required applicants to have passed at least 8th class — a condition that excluded many deserving beneficiaries, especially from rural and educationally backward areas.

Locals have welcomed the government’s move, calling it a “decision rooted in compassion and realism.”

“The 8th pass rule was unfair to many genuine beneficiaries who never had access to schools. Removing it will now help more poor girls get the much-needed financial support,” said Mohammad Altaf, a resident of Anantnag whose daughter is set to get married next year.

The government had faced mounting criticism from civil society and media over the education bar, which many said defeated the very purpose of the welfare scheme. Reports had earlier highlighted how the rule deprived several eligible girls of financial aid, leaving families struggling to bear marriage expenses.

Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo had in April, acknowledged the public concern and announced that the department was reviewing the qualification requirement. “There is no purpose in having an educational bar in a welfare scheme meant for underprivileged girls,” she had said, assuring that the proposal to remove the condition was under active consideration.

The Marriage Assistance Scheme was first introduced to ease the financial burden on poor families during marriage ceremonies, initially offering Rs 50,000 in aid — later enhanced to Rs 75,000 by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to make it more impactful.

By scrapping the 8th pass eligibility rule, the government has not only responded to a long-pending public demand but also ensured that the scheme truly reaches those it was designed to benefit — the poorest and most deserving girls across Jammu and Kashmir.