The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) General Headquarters has formally rolled out the Mizo Zirlai Pawl – Students’ Aid Fund (MZP-SAF) Guidelines 2025, an initiative aimed at ensuring that no Mizo student is forced to abandon their education due to financial hardship. The guidelines were adopted following their approval in Executive Committee Sitting No. 647, Resolution No. 8.
The newly launched Students’ Aid Fund is designed to promote equity, access and inclusion across Mizoram’s education sector. It prioritizes students from economically weaker families, rural pockets, marginalized communities and underrepresented backgrounds. Under the scheme, financial support will be provided to cover essential academic expenses such as tuition, admission and examination fees, hostel requirements, textbooks, stationery and even verified medical emergencies that disrupt a student’s academic continuity.
According to the guidelines, the assistance will be offered either as grants or interest-free loans. Beneficiaries will need to sign undertakings and repayment agreements to ensure that the resources are responsibly utilised. The fund is strictly limited to educational purposes and any misuse may result in withdrawal of support, recovery of the assistance and possible legal action.
To ensure transparency, the initiative will be financed through fundraising activities, donations from members, alumni and well-wishers, contributions from NGOs, institutions, and special grants from government or recognized bodies. A dedicated bank account operated jointly by the MZP GHQ President and Treasurer will oversee the fund’s finances, with annual audited statements made available to the public. The guidelines explicitly prohibit commission-based fundraising and donor interference in selecting beneficiaries.
The Students’ Aid Fund Management Committee (SAFMC), chaired by the MZP GHQ President, will monitor the scheme’s administration. Its members will include senior office bearers, nominated educationists or distinguished citizens, student representatives, a Joint Hnampual member and a legal advisor. The committee will meet quarterly, and at least five members must be present for decisions to be valid.
Eligibility will focus on Mizo students genuinely struggling with financial constraints. Priority will be given to those from remote areas, Scheduled Tribes, differently-abled students, first-generation learners and those without access to similar scholarships. Applicants will be required to submit valid documents to verify their academic enrollment and financial status. The SAFMC may conduct home visits or interviews whenever needed.
Assistance may be disbursed directly to students or to educational institutions, depending on the nature of support. Multi-year aid will be released in phases after periodic reviews of the student’s academic performance and continued eligibility.
The guidelines underscore strong accountability measures, including annual audits, strict documentation requirements and disciplinary actions for fraudulent claims. The policy comes into immediate effect and replaces all previous MZP student aid schemes. The MZP leadership expressed confidence that the Students’ Aid Fund 2025 will help bridge educational gaps and uplift deserving Mizo students who require timely and sustained financial support.
