Across India, one of the most persistent challenges in secondary education is keeping girls in school long enough to complete higher secondary grades. In Gujarat, the transition from upper primary grades to secondary grades have historically shown a steep drop: while roughly 70% of girls continue from Class 8 to Class 9, only 38% remain enrolled by Class 11. The consequences carry into adulthood—early exits from schooling often coincide with early marriages and early pregnancies, with one in five girls in Gujarat marrying before the age of 18.

To counter this long-standing pattern, the Government of Gujarat introduced the Namo Lakshmi Scholarship Scheme in 2024, designed to make secondary schooling both attainable and economically viable for girl students. The eligibility requirement is simple—maintain a minimum of 80% monthly attendance. In return, girls in Classes 9 and 10 receive ₹500 per month, and those in Classes 11 and 12 receive ₹750 per month, transferred directly to their mothers’ bank accounts. Additional incentives—₹10,000 for passing Class 10 and ₹15,000 for passing Class 12—mean that a girl who continues from Class 9 to 12 can receive up to ₹50,000 over four years. These funds help offset academic and nutritional costs that often limit student’s to continue school education.

₹1,250 crore invested in the future of 11 lakh+ girls under the Namo Lakshmi Scholarship Scheme (FY 2024–25)

What makes the programme notable is not only its design, but the scale at which it is being delivered. In the academic year 2024 — 2025, over 11 lakh girls were covered under the scheme, supported by a budget of ₹1,250 crore. The scheme applies not only to government school students but also to girls studying in private schools under the Right to Education Act, whose annual family income is below ₹6 lakh—broadening the reach of the initiative to some of the most vulnerable segments.

A key enabler of this scale is Gujarat’s investment in data systems through the Vidya Samiksha Kendra. The Namo Lakshmi Bot on SwiftChat, operated under the Vidya Samiksha Kendra, automates the process of identifying and validating eligible beneficiaries. Teachers upload documents digitally; CRCs and BRCs verify submissions; and approved records flow directly to the Public Financial Management System for fund disbursal. Multiple datasets are triangulated before payments are made, reducing errors and ensuring that the scheme reaches the students it intends to support.

Early impact recorded a 20% increase in girl-child enrollment in Classes 9–12 compared to 2023–2024 academic year—an early signal that financial and administrative friction points are being removed, and that the ecosystem around girl students’ secondary education is beginning to shift.

As the programme moves into its next phase, the education department has commissioned IDinsight to conduct an independent evaluation of the Namo Lakshmi Scholarship Scheme. The study will document the scheme’s progress through evidence-based narratives, assess implementation processes and beneficiary experiences, and identify practices that can strengthen scalability and replicability across India.

This evaluation is an important development in girl-child education in India. Large-scale scholarships are relatively new, and their long-term effects—on attendance, learning continuity, and life outcomes—are still emerging. The Namo Lakshmi Scholarship Scheme shows how a state can use technology, financial incentives, and a strong data backbone to address an entrenched barrier in education. As the independent evaluation moves forward, the findings and insights will serve as a case study for policymakers across India working to improve  access and retention for girl-children in school education and beyond.