India, Aug. 21 -- In a move aimed at increasing the participation of girls in higher education, the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department is drafting a new policy that will enable women students to earn while studying.

The department has already waived tuition fees for 842 courses and introduced a monthly subsistence allowance of Rs.6,000 to help cover housing and food expenses. However, officials say that students still require additional financial support for daily expenses and academic materials.

To address this need, Higher and Technical Education minister Chandrakant Patil announced on August 19 that a new 'Earn and Learn' scheme is being developed. Under the proposed scheme, participating girl students will receive...