TRUTIYA RATNA · EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Higher Education Support
School enrolment alone does not guarantee that a first-generation learner reaches higher education. We guide students through the unfamiliar terrain of entrance exams, applications, and scholarships.
Idea of the Programme
Higher Education Support exists because school enrolment alone does not guarantee that a first-generation learner reaches higher education. This programme picks up where Community Libraries and Knowledge Centres leave off: once a child has books, a safe space, and academic support, someone still has to guide them through the unfamiliar terrain of entrance exams, applications, and scholarships.
When and How It Started — This support grew out of the founders’ own lived experience as first-generation learners navigating entrance exams without guidance. It grew into a structured system, including a Common University Entrance Test – Undergraduate (CUET UG) mentoring programme launched in 2023.
Area of Operation & Rationale
While our Community Libraries and Knowledge Centres are rooted in four districts of Bihar, this programme runs virtually, connecting mentors and mentees from across the country — reaching learners in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, guided by mentors from institutions such as the University of Delhi, Panjab University, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
Support is directed with particular focus on girls, who face a heightened risk of dropping out due to patriarchy and poverty, and on students whose families have no prior experience navigating higher education systems.
Current Scenario
Support includes academic guidance, career counselling, scholarships and sponsorships covering tuition, books, and stationery, alongside mentoring for admissions, entrance exams, Statement of Purpose (SOP) writing, and interviews. Students have received offers from Delhi University, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai, Ambedkar University Delhi, the Central University of Gujarat, IIT Gandhinagar, and Azim Premji University. In 2025, we launched our Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Programme.
Activities Conducted
Academic guidance and career counselling
Entrance exam preparation, including CUET UG mentoring
Support with application fees, examination fees, and statement of purpose writing
Interview preparation
Laptops, smartphones, and internet access for online learning
Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarship disbursement
Impact & Milestones
5
States reached through virtual mentoring
2023
CUET UG Mentoring Programme launched
2025
Pre & Post-Matric Scholarship Programme launched
Students admitted to central and state universities including Delhi University, TISS Mumbai, Ambedkar University Delhi, and the Central University of Gujarat
Two students admitted to central universities through the CUET UG mentoring programme in its first year
Four first-generation female learners currently receiving Pre-Matric scholarships, and two receiving a Post-Matric scholarship
Continued mentoring, tuition, and device support sustained through students’ higher education journey
Sponsor a Student
Your support can help a first-generation learner from Bihar overcome financial barriers and complete their education.