Gandhinagar, May 25: Getting into one of the IITs is the goal of lakhs of students in India. But for some families, the real struggle starts post-admission when it comes to paying for the tuition fee, hostel and even living costs.
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has a robust financial aid system to help students from different socio-economic backgrounds to pursue higher studies without being constrained by finances.
The cost of education has emerged as a crucial issue for the middle class as well as those belonging to rural areas, resulting in an increased focus on financial support along with academic achievements.
Currently, about 45% of IITGN undergraduates receive financial support from the institute in the form of scholarships, donor aid, and other support options. In the financial year 2025-26, the institute supported various student aid initiatives by offering financial assistance of approximately Rs. 5.88 Crore.
The institute provides full fee waivers for students belonging to SC/ST and PwD communities as well as full waiver of tuition fee for families having an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh. For students whose parents have an annual income of up to Rs 5 lakh, there is partial waiver on fee. Apart from that, there are options for financial aid and scholarships at the institute.
Highlighting the need for such initiatives, Prof Manish Kumar, Dean of Student Affairs, IIT Gandhinagar, said,
“At IIT Gandhinagar, we believe that no deserving student should be deprived of an opportunity owing to economic constraints. Financial assistance programs at IITGN have been conceptualized keeping this in mind.”
Currently, IITGN offers more than 85 scholarships and financial aid programmes funded by donations, industry, alumni funding and internal funding. Another important programme in this regard is Tata Motors Limited Financial Aid Programme.
For students, the impact of this support goes beyond finances.
“My college fees are supported through a combination of the Vidyalakshmi Education Scheme and Tata Motors Financial Assistance Program supported by the institute. The tuition fee is covered, but I still have to handle my monthly spending carefully,” said a third-year BTech student in Mechanical Engineering at IITGN, who hails from Wardha, Maharashtra.
Apart from tuition-related assistance, students are also supported through initiatives such as Free Basic Messing (FBM), institute soft loans, and donor-supported scholarships.
“The support I received through Free Basic Messing (FBM), institute soft loans, and scholarships at IIT Gandhinagar made things much easier financially and helped me continue my studies without interruption,” said a final-year BTech student in Chemical Engineering at IITGN.
Among those who benefit from such programmes come from rural backgrounds and students from economically varied backgrounds, whose sources of income are often uncertain and seasonal.
With a farming background from a rural area of Rajasthan, a final-year BTech student in ElectricalEngineering at IITGN, highlighted the importance of financial help in his higher education career.
“Agriculture is our primary means of livelihood and because it depends heavily on weather and harvest, we have never been financially stable,” the student pointed out. “Fee structure, accommodation cost, and other everyday expenses used to be a matter of great concern for me but due to the financial support from IIT Gandhinagar, I am relieved of these concerns and able to focus on my studies and projects,” the student explained.
Apart from financial support, another focus area for the institute is ensuring a conducive academic environment for the students. This includes provision of opportunities to learn through Foundation programmes and interdisciplinary approaches to learning as well as early exposure to research and project work.
In terms of affordability, another way in which IITGN provides support to students is by making sure they have access to education loan facilities at no interest rate. The institute also provides financial support to post-graduate students through fee waiver based on annual parental income.
In light of the current issues surrounding the ability to afford an education, a financial aid ecosystem like this one will help many talented students achieve their educational aspirations without the financial obstacles getting in the way.