The recently announced results of class 10+2 examinations by State and Central Boards have brought cheers among thousands of successful candidates in North East. While the students with sound financial background are planning to pursue their academic career according to their choice and realise their dream, the students with poor financial background are beset with gloom and despair. Following the announcement of results, the print and electronic media, besides capturing the jubilant mood of successful students, have been bringing into sharp public focus the heart breaking stories of poor and meritorious students about their shattered dreams of pursuing higher education because of poverty. But it is not end of the tunnel for such students with poor financial background. Poverty will not be a bane for brilliant students from North East.

Regional Institute of Science and Technology (RIST), run by ERD Foundation has opened its doors to students belonging to below poverty line with an excellent academic record to help them pursue their engineering degrees. RIST has been implementing a scheme to make higher education accessible to the meritorious poor students from North East. Under the scheme RIST supports and provides free education to the exceptionally meritorious BPL students. Under the scheme nearly 100 BPL meritorious students are currently pursuing B.Tech courses in different branches at RIST. This scheme is in the line of ERDF policy of reaching out to the under privileged and disadvantaged sections of the society as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The admission criteria will be as follows-
Above 70% - Full Free
Above 60% - with concessional fee

The ERD Foundation has also been implementing this scheme through all the ERDF institutions including Central Public School Badarpur, Central Public School Patharkandi and Regional College of Higher Education, University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, Central IT College. So far ERDF has offered free admission and fee relaxation to more than 1000 BPL students in its different institutions.

Regional Institute of Science and Technology (RIST) is situated on a picturesque hill in 9th Mile, opposite CRPF Group Centre, Khanapara, half a km from the National Highway, the Guwahati Shillong road.  It is only 6 km from the capital of Assam, Dispur. RIST at present offers B.Tech. Programs in  Computer Sc. & Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. All the courses are approved by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) New Delhi, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India & is affiliated to North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, the oldest central university in North East.

Needy meritorious poor students can approach to us with a recommendation letter from the Principal of the school/college last attended or from any head of religious institution