A new academic year signals change for both school and college students. There will be new teachers to interact with. There will be new subjects to get one’s head around. Exciting those these things may be, the new circumstances will bring with it, an element of anxiety. And students who don’t have the means to pay their fees have additional anxiety to deal with. Several organisations in Chennai are now helping students from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds pay their school and college fees. For the volunteers in these organisations, the beginning of an academic year is as hectic as it is for students, as they have to work forwards identifying students who are in need of help. Here are a few organisations that go through this cycle of identifying beneficiaries year after year. Rajasthani Association Over the last five decades, the Rajasthani Association Tamil Nadu has been helping students in this manner. On July 15, it presented scholarships to 1,400 students from various colleges at a ceremony held in Music Academy. Shantilal S. Jain, chairman of its scholarship committee, said that Rs. 40 lakh worth of scholarships was given to students to mark the golden jubilee year of the Association. Earlier in the day, the Association honoured meritorious students with medals and certificates, under the Udaysingh Kamalsingh Mohta talent recognition scheme. Presenting the scholarships, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, Madras High Court judge, said that education was the only “imperishable wealth” that people could acquire. Aalayam Foundation Aalayam Foundation is another group that helps students with scholarships. Through its website www.aalayam.org, the Foundation raises funds for students through crowdsourcing. “We work very hard to protect the identity and respect the privacy of the beneficiary and the donor,” says Vinoth Vasanth, one of the founders. Funds are raised only when needed and go entirely to the students. Volunteers visit the homes of students to make sure their request for financial assistance is genuine and the funds reach deserving candidates, says Lakshmi Kanthan, co-founder. Aalayam works closely with some heads of schools in rural areas where utmost help is needed. The foundation is run with the help of volunteers working in different fields and living in various parts of the globe. Maatram Foundation Maatram Foundation, with its headquarters in Chennai, also works on the crowdsourcing principle, but with a different approach. It draws upon the goodwill of owners of educational institutions. The Foundation has tied up with several colleges whose founders have volunteered to provide a few seats free in their colleges for students who are keen on higher education but lack the financial resources to go ahead.Sujith Kumar, founder, Maatram Foundation, says that the initiative started with just one college offering 20 free seats. Now, 25 colleges are collaborating with Maatram in its efforts. The organisation (www.maatramfoundation.com) also invites volunteers who can mentor students. Call for applications The Kalki Krishnamurthy Memorial Trust has called for applications from students pursuing postgraduate, undergraduate, higher secondary and polytechnic courses for grant of scholarships. Students who have received a minimum score of 80% in their qualifying examination and who cannot afford to pay their fees can apply through a handwritten application with details (name, address, phone number, college address) that has been attested by the head of the institution. A bonafide certificate from the school/college and a copy of the marks of the qualifying examination must be sent along with the application to the Managing Trustee, Kalki Krishnamurthy Memorial Trust, New No 14, Fourth Main Road, Kasturba Nagar, Adyar, Chennai 20. The applications should reach the office before July 31.

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