Gandhinagar, July 17 (IANS) Gujarat’s Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Bhanu Babariya, along with Minister of State Bhikhu Parmar, released the first online merit list for admissions to government and Samras hostels across the state.

The list includes 16,597 students selected for the academic year 2025-26 across 161 hostels. The merit list, declared at a formal ceremony in Gandhinagar, covers students from all categories except those who applied under Science Group A.

Of the total selected, 3,902 students — 2,231 boys and 1,671 girls — have been allotted seats under the Scheduled Caste Welfare scheme in 80 hostels. Additionally, 2,820 students (1,855 boys and 965 girls) have been selected under the Developing Caste Welfare scheme for 58 hostels. Under the Samras Hostel Society, 9,875 students (5,322 boys and 4,553 girls) have secured admissions across 23 hostels.

Students who have been selected will receive admission following verification of their documents. Notifications have already been sent via SMS. The online application process for hostel admissions was conducted by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Admissions were granted strictly on merit following scrutiny of applications. The state government has established hostels across Gujarat to ensure inclusive access to quality higher education, from Class 11 up to Ph.D. levels.

These residential facilities offer students comprehensive lodging and dining amenities. Present at the event were Mohammad Shahid, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment; Rachit Raj, Director of Scheduled Caste Welfare; Vikramsinh Jadav, Director of Developing Caste Welfare; and other senior officials.

The Gujarat government conducts an online admission process each year for its government and Samras hostels to ensure transparent, merit-based access to quality residential facilities for students from Scheduled Castes, Developing Castes (SEBC), and other categories. Students apply through a centralised portal, submitting educational and caste-related documents, after which applications are verified and a merit list is generated based on academic performance.

The first merit list, recently released, includes thousands of selected students who receive SMS alerts and must complete document verification for final admission. This process ensures fair opportunity for deserving students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education with accommodation, food, and support provided by the state.

–IANS

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