Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao: 1,200 Girls Enrolled Under Hemlata Scholarship

Hemlata Foundation has released the enrollment figures for its Beti Padhao Scholarship Scheme for the 2025-26 academic year: 1,200 girls from Classes 6-12 across 7 districts are now receiving monthly scholarships, study materials, and mentoring support.

The program specifically targets girls who are at risk of dropping out due to financial constraints, early marriage pressure, or domestic responsibilities. Field workers use a proprietary screening tool developed with UNICEF to identify the most vulnerable girls.

Scholarship amounts range from ₹500/month for Class 6-8 students to ₹1,000/month for Class 11-12 students. Additionally, all scholarship holders receive a complete stationery kit, school bag, and two school uniforms annually.

The program has demonstrated measurable impact: among 2024 scholarship holders who were tracked, 94% were still enrolled in school at year-end, compared to an 82% retention rate for comparable non-beneficiary girls in the same area.

Critically, the foundation also works with families. "We visit every household before enrolling a girl," said Field Coordinator Bindu Kumari. "Sometimes the bigger challenge is convincing parents that education matters more than domestic help or early marriage income."

Hemlata is piloting a conditional cash transfer model in 3 blocks where a portion of the scholarship is paid directly to mothers via Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, bypassing male family members who may redirect the funds.