Maharashtra Government To Establish Excellence Centres For OBC Students In Key Districts; Digital Classrooms And Hostels Planned For Underprivileged Students

Mumbai, 14th January 2025: The Maharashtra government announced the establishment of Excellence Centres in five key districts—Pune, Amravati, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nashik—under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (Mahajyoti). These centres aim to provide specialized training and coaching for competitive exams and professional development to students from Other Backward Classes (OBC) and underprivileged communities.
The initiative was discussed during a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Sahyadri Guest House. OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save joined the meeting via video conferencing. The Chief Minister emphasized that these centres would significantly benefit students in divisional cities like Pune and other regions by providing access to advanced training facilities.
In addition, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced a digital classroom project to enhance the quality of education in private aided residential schools for students from scheduled and underprivileged categories. The initiative aims to integrate technology into learning, ensuring equal educational opportunities.
The government also plans to implement the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Deprived Castes and Nomadic Tribes (SEED), which will include housing construction on the lines of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. This initiative is expected to address the housing needs of marginalized communities across the state.
To improve access to welfare programs, Chief Minister Fadnavis directed the immediate creation of a web portal for beneficiaries of 18 corporations under the Maharashtra State Other Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation and the Vasantrao Naik Deprived Castes and Nomadic Tribes Development Corporation. A proposal to increase the loan limit for the personal loan interest refund scheme under these corporations will also be tabled in the cabinet.
The Chief Minister instructed the Chief Secretary and District Collectors to identify suitable locations for establishing hostels for OBC boys and girls in various districts. These hostels will offer a supportive environment for students pursuing higher education.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Principal Secretary of the OBC Welfare Department Vinita Ved Singal, and other senior officials. These initiatives mark a significant step toward empowering marginalized communities through education and economic development.