Chennai: The higher education department has appointed district-level facilitation officers to help students access education loans from banks. These officers will guide the students and help them get collateral-free education loans to enrol in engineering, polytechnic and arts and science colleges, higher education minister P Viswanathan said on Friday.College faculty members were appointed as facilitation officers. It is their duty to gather the details of underprivileged students. “Facilitation officers will work with a small team, coordinating with nodal banks in every district. This will ensure that no student drops out from any course because they are unable to to pay the fees,” he said.Facilitation officers are trained by the banks, and they will act as a bridge between banks and students, he added.Last year, 1,02,000 students from the state obtained education loans. “This year, our target is to give education loans to 1,50,000 students in the state. A student will get a maximum amount of ₹7.5 lakh without any collateral. The ceiling is likely to be increased this year,” Viswanathan said.The district collectors will conduct periodic review meetings with banks and facilitation officers, to know the status of education loans and facilitate loans.
