DHAKA, Jan 2, 2026 (BSS) - The government has initiated a significant financial incentive for meritorious students by increasing 20 percent in the number of ‘Junior Scholarships’ and doubling the existing scholarship amounts. 

This move, led by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), aims to align student stipends with current market prices to ease the educational journey for talented youth.

According to the proposal signed by former DSHE Director General Professor Dr. Muhammad Azad Khan, scholarship rates have remained unchanged for nine years since the 2015-16 fiscal year. 

Officials noted that the current amounts are insufficient given the rising cost of living. 

Professor B. M. Abdul Hannan, Director General (Additional Charge) of DSHE, stated that this initiative is designed to prevent dropouts and improve the quality of education.

The proposal seeks to expand the total number of scholarship recipients from the current 46,200 to 55,440. 

Under the new draft, the monthly and annual allowances for students are set to double. 

In talent pool category, the monthly allowance will rise from Taka 450 to Taka 900 and the annual one-time grant will increase from Taka 560 to Taka 1,120. Consequently, a student in this category will receive a total of Taka 11,920 annually, up from Taka 5,960.

In general quota category, the monthly allowance will increase from Taka 300 to Taka 600, and the annual grant will rise from Taka 350 to Taka 700. This brings the total annual benefit to Taka 7,900, compared to the previous Taka 3,950.

Recipients will enjoy these benefits for two years until they sit for their SSC examinations.

The expansion will require a substantial increase in the government’s education budget. Currently, the government spends Taka 42.40 crore  over two years for these scholarships; the proposed changes would see this cost rise to approximately Taka 101.78 crore , requiring an additional Taka 59.37 crore.

Saidur Rahman, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Education, confirmed that the proposal is currently under review. 

Once the Ministry grants policy approval, it will be sent to the Finance Division for budget allocation, he added. 

Sabina Yasmin, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, expressed optimism, noting that a Government Order (GO) will be issued as soon as the Finance Ministry provides its consent.

This initiative is part of a larger government strategy. The Ministry of Education’s government secondary branch has indicated plans to proportionally increase the number and amount of all government scholarships, including those for SSC, HSC, and Honors levels.

To understand this shift, one might compare the current scholarship to an outgrown suit; it served its purpose years ago, but the government is now tailoring a new, larger version to better fit the modern economic needs of the country's growing student population.