By Najiur Rahman Sohel 

DHAKA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS) - The government has taken an initiative to increase both the number of stipends and the monthly rates for various categories under the country's revenue sector, marking the first such revision in nearly a decade.

After a long gap, it has been recommended to raise the number of stipends for minority communities, tribal students and students with various disabilities (from Class VI to graduation level) by an additional 20 percent, while the monthly stipend rate is proposed to be increased by 25 percent compared to the existing rates. 

Similar increases have also been recommended for professional stipends and stipends for students of various teacher training colleges.

In line with a decision taken by the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has prepared a draft proposal to increase stipends under the revenue sector. 

The proposal was sent to the Ministry of Education on January 7.

DSHE Director General (Additional Duty) Professor B. M. Abdul Hannan told BSS that the number and amount of stipends under the revenue sector of the Ministry of Education have not been revised since 2015. 

Considering the rise in market prices and the increasing number of students, the initiative has been taken to enhance both the rate and coverage of stipends.

He said that once the proposal receives approval from the Finance Department, implementation will begin.

According to the draft proposal, the stipend rates at all levels of the revenue sector have remained unchanged since the 2015-16 fiscal. Given the current market situation and the growing number of students, an increase in both the number and amount of stipends has become necessary.

Following the minutes of a recent meeting held at the Ministry of Education, a detailed summary of the potential expenditure has been prepared, reflecting the increased number and rates of stipends for minority communities, tribal students and students with various disabilities (Class VI to graduation level) under the revenue sector.

Sabina Yasmin, Deputy Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education told BSS that a proposal to increase all revenue-sector stipends has been received from the directorate. 

She added that the Budget Branch of the ministry is currently processing the proposal to send it to the Finance Department for final approval.

According to the Ministry of Education's proposal, the number of stipends for Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, children of Armed Forces personnel and students from small ethnic and tribal communities is proposed to be increased from 8,760 to 10,512. The annual potential expenditure for this category has been estimated at Tk 30243,600, while the current government expenditure stands at Tk 1,93,98,000.

The proposal also recommends increasing the number of stipends for visually impaired, physically disabled and autistic students (Class VI to Class X) under category 'C' from 1,735 to 2,082. Alongside an increase in the monthly stipend rate, their annual one-time allowance has also been enhanced. The potential expenditure in this sector is estimated at Tk 213,17400, compared to the current expenditure of Tk 441,97500.

In addition, the proposal seeks to increase the number of stipends for students of teachers' training colleges (B.Ed), fine arts (BFA and MFA) and home economics institutions from 7,230 to 8,676. The estimated expenditure for this sector is Tk 742,77000, while the current expenditure is Tk 495,18000.

Under the proposed changes, the monthly stipend for students of Class VI to Class X will be increased from Tk 150 to Tk 200. The stipend for master's level students will rise from Tk 400-450 to Tk 500. For visually impaired students at the master's level, the stipend rate will be increased from Tk 1,500 to Tk 1,875.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education stated that, in addition to the monthly stipend, the annual one-time grant amount has also been increased several times in the draft proposal.

Kamrun Nahar, Assistant Director of the Planning and Development Branch of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, told BSS that if the proposal is approved, thousands of underprivileged and meritorious students across the country will be encouraged to pursue higher education. 

She said the initiative would significantly reduce the financial burden on students and their families.

Nahar added that if the new proposal is implemented, students at almost all levels will receive at least 25 percent more stipend than the current rate.