Top 3 Education Loans for Girls In India

March 30, 20222 Minutes Read
Success Stories

Link Copied!

In India, almost 65% of girls are forced to drop out of school due to various reasons. One of the most common reasons is the lack of monetary funds. If you want to pursue your education but are worried about the fees, the Indian government has your back. Many loan schemes are available, especially for women, to empower and encourage girls to continue studying. :

The first thing to remember is that every bank that provides loans requires collateral for lending above INR 7.5 Lakhs. Collateral is something of value that a lender demands as security. In many cases, most public banks offer education loans without any collateral.

Read on to know more about Education Loans

  1. Central Bank of India Cent Vidyarthi --

    This is one of the best schemes for girls in India. If you are willing to pay collateral, there is no limit on the loan amount. However, suppose you don't wish to pay collateral. In such a situation, you can avail yourself of a maximum of INR 10 lakh to study in India and INR 20 lakh to study abroad. The interest rate for women belonging to the ST (Scheduled Tribe), SC (Scheduled Cast) IIT students is MCLR = 1.5%.

    This loan covers most expenses, including:

  • School and college fees
  • Laboratory, library, exam fees.
  • Funds to buy books, uniforms and equipment
  • Hostel fees, travel expenses for education abroad.
  • Insurance of the student borrower.
  • Any course-related expense
  1. Corp Vidya Scheme -- The Corporation Bank of India offers this loan at interest rate concessions to females. The below the rate card rate concession for new loans is 50 bps (includes 25 bps available to women borrowers). This loan can be used by female students to study in India or abroad. It covers many expenses such as:
  • School and college fees
  • Laboratory, library, exam fees.
  • Funds to buy books, uniforms and equipment
  • Hostel fees, travel expenses
  • Any course-related expense
  • A reasonably priced computer
  1. Indian Overseas Bank Vidhya Jyoti Education Loan-- This loan is available with a concession of 0.5% on interest. For education in India, the maximum loan is INR 30 Lakh, and for courses abroad, it is Rs. 40 Lakh. Students can repay the interest either while completing the course or pay it later, together with the principal amount. The repayment period is flexible and can be paid over a period of 5 years to 7 years.

Banks accept the following as collateral:

  • Property documents of a house/ residential area

  • Non-Agricultural land documents

  • A LIC Policy document of the primary borrower

  • A fixed deposit in favour of the lender/ fixed deposit receipts

    Here's a pro-tip: Before you apply for a loan, check the benefits and eligibility of the 'Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi Karyakram'. This programme has been introduced to administer and monitor scholarship and educational loan schemes.

    The Glow & Lovely Career Foundation (formerly known as The Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) offers a scholarship for female students pursuing higher education. Apply for it here.

Get Inspired with

Blog and News

Success Stories
August 7, 20191 Minutes Read

Best Online Courses to Take Under ‘Natural Resources and Food Processing’

Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food. Primary food processing is necessary to make most foods edible, and secondary food processing turns the ingredients into familiar foods. A course in food processing provides an overview of the processing techniques used for food preservation. It explains how the use of additives can preserve food. Food processing is a broad term, in itself, which includes processing, preservation, manufacturing, packaging, and canning of various food items. The Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) provides free online courses as well as online courses with certification on various topics under 'Natural Resources and Food Processing'.

Careers in the food processing and food technology industries are on the rise. In the upcoming years, there will be good demand for healthy, modern food products. As people are becoming more conscious of the food they eat every day and also concerned about sustainable agriculture and the like, the demand for employees in the food production, processing, and technology sectors will increase. The Glow & Lovely Careers provides career guidance for those who are interested to venture into this industry.

Success Stories
June 10, 20223 Minutes Read

Taking Inspiration From Shark Tank Judge Vineeta Singh

Vineeta Singh is one of the most popular women in India. She is the CEO of Sugar Cosmetics and one of the judges or 'sharks' in the reality show Shark Tank. None of this came easy to her. In fact, her story is one of inspiration. Here's her story.

Vineeta Singh was born in Delhi in 1983. Her father, Tej Singh, is a scientist at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, while her mother worked at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Delhi. She completed her education from the Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram. It was there, when she was 17 years old, that she decided what she wanted to do in life. She credits her decision to one of her teachers, who suggested that Vineeta become an entrepreneur. From that day onward, Vineeta made it her goal.

A studious girl from the very beginning, she studied really hard and successfully got into IIT, Madras. She graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 2005. After which, she pursued her MBA at IIM Ahmedabad.

With education from such prestigious institutes, it's only natural that Vineeta received good offers for work. She revealed that one of the offers she turned down was for a salary of INR 1 Cr. But Vineeta was firm - She wanted to start her own business. Even the questions and disappointment from her friends and family did not deter her. She was steadfast in her decision.

With a head full of dreams, at 23 years, Vineeta moved to Mumbai. The city of dreams was initially not kind to her. Like many other youngsters, she too struggled to make ends meet. She said, "I lived in a tiny house which flooded easily. I'd hardly go out because I was on a budget. But I pushed on." In Mumbai, Vineeta gave wings to her dream of entrepreneurship. However, her first business did not do well. Vineeta recalls this being the first time she wondered if she made the right decision turning down the 1Cr. job offer. After all, she would be doing very well with that kind of money. To deal with the self-doubt, Vineeta took up running as a sport. She believes that it helps her clear her head. Today, the sport plays a significant role in her life. In fact, she once ran a marathon while six months pregnant.

A year after her first failure, she gave entrepreneurship another chance with Fab Bags subscription service. While researching for the brand, she realised India's lack of quality cosmetics. Thus, in 2015 Sugar was born.

From being rejected by investors to gaining funding, she worked hard to get Sugar cosmetics where it is, all while taking care of two kids. Today, the company's net worth is around 300 Cr. Incredible, right? She has been featured in Fortune 40 Under 40 List 2021, The Economic Times, Entrepreneur magazine, Times Of India, YourStory, HT Mint, and much more. In addition to Fab Bags and Sugar Cosmetics, Vineeta has invested in Skippi Ice Pops and CosIQ, all of which are highly profitable. She also charged INR 5 Lakhs to appear as a Shark for each Shark Tank Episode. Join Glow & Lovely Career's (formerly known as Fair and Lovely Career Foundation)Sheroes Community of Inspirational Women to know more such stories.

Success Stories
May 11, 20202 Minutes Read

Free Online Tests to Help You Build a Career in Banking

A banking career provides lots of benefits like provident fund, gratuity, pension, dignity and career growth. It teaches money management and also helps you gain knowledge about trade, investment plans, remittances etc. The banking sector employs people from different educational backgrounds. From finance to marketing to people from an operational background, there is a place for everybody.

If working for a bank excites you, here's all you need to know about bank entrance exams and the importance of taking mock tests.

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts a series of Common Written Exams (CWE) for vacancies in 20 Public Sector Banks and 82 Regional Rural Banks. These exams are mandatory for clerical posts, management trainees, office assistants and others. The SBI (State Bank of India) and SBI Associates conduct their examinations for clerical and officer rank positions. The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) too conducts its exam for different positions. The eligibility criteria and minimum qualification required depends on the post you wish to apply for.

Private sector banks conduct their own entrance exams. However, some private banks like Karur Vysya Bank (KVB), Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) and Federal Bank have started considering IBPS CWE scores.

To take the exam, you will have to register for the online banking exam by submitting the application form. Attach your photograph and scanned signature along with it. The application form is available on the IBPS website. SBI and RBI forms are available on their respective websites. It is important for you to keep track of the upcoming exams.

The banking sector exam is very competitive. You must prepare by taking free online mock tests for bank exams. They will help familiarize you with the bank exam format, types of questions and the time limit. A simple Google search will reveal websites where you can take a free online test for bank PO. You will also find Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) Banking and Insurance Test book very useful. Just click on the Online Test section of the website.

If you are serious about a career in banking, you must take these mock tests seriously. As a banking sector candidate, you will have to answer many mathematical and quantitative questions without making elaborate calculations. So, you will need to master shortcuts and tricks to solve the given problems in time. Taking online tests will help you learn and master these shortcuts and improve your understanding of the mathematical calculations.

Additionally, you will also know your strengths and weaknesses. You may have mastered some advanced techniques, but your basics may need revision. The only way to assess your abilities is through a mock test. Your answer pattern and score will help you identify the areas you need to work on and spend more time practicing.

If you pass the necessary entrance exams, you will have to go through group discussions and personal interview rounds. These two rounds will be the deciding factor in your selection. So, prepare for these rounds as well. In these rounds, you will be questioned on banking sector policies, the economy and general knowledge. To do well in these sections, you must stay updated. Read the newspaper daily. Subscribe and follow financial blogs.

Finally, do not take unnecessary stress as it will negatively affect your performance. It is important to stay calm during the exams.