PUCA to announce Rs 50 Cr scholarship for J&K students at Education Summit

Srinagar, Sep 7: The Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) today unveiled a landmark initiative for students from Jammu & Kashmir, announcing that it will host a grand Education Summit in Srinagar on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Press Club of Kashmir, Dr Anshu Kataria, President of PUCA and Chairman of Aryans Group of Colleges, Rajpura (near Chandigarh), stated that the summit will showcase a scholarship package worth between Rs 20 and 50 crore, aimed at supporting deserving and underprivileged students from J&K to pursue higher education in colleges across Punjab.

“Approximately 20 leading colleges from Punjab will participate, each offering scholarships worth Rs 2.5 crore,” Dr Kataria said. “This initiative will provide students with extensive opportunities across a wide range of academic streams.”

He added that over 200 education counsellors from across J&K will also attend, providing guidance on admissions, career pathways, and the benefits of scholarships.

Prominent educational institutions participating in the summit include Aryans Group of Colleges (Chandigarh), Amritsar Group of Colleges, Amritsar College of Nursing, Akal College (Mastuana Sahib), Ashoka Group of Institutions (Patiala), Bharat Group of Colleges (Sardulgarh), Global Group of Institutes (Amritsar), Gulzar Group of Colleges (Khanna), Jain Group of Institutions (Abohar), KC Group of Institutions (Nawashehar), Quest Group of Institutes (Jhanjeri), Saraswati Group of Colleges (Maur Mandi, Bathinda), SBS Group of Educational Institutions (Patti), Shiva Group of Colleges (Himachal Pradesh), Sri Sai Group (Pathankot), St Mary’s Rehabilitation University (Hyderabad), Sukhjinder Group of Institutes (Gurdaspur), SVIET Group (Banur, Rajpura), and Vidya Jyoti Eduversity (Derabassi).

Dr Kataria emphasised that the summit aims not merely to provide financial assistance but also to inspire students to pursue higher education with confidence. “Through this initiative, PUCA seeks to bridge the gap for students seeking quality education beyond J&K and to empower them to achieve their academic and professional aspirations,” he said.