Supporting Potential At A Critical Turning Point: Why Holistic Scholarships Matter

The transition from Class 10 to 11 is one of the most critical turning points in a student’s educational journey. It is often the stage where aspirations are highest, but unfortunately, it is also where the chances of students steering away from a focused path towards building a career are high. Many students are forced to drop out due to financial pressure, lack of guidance, or limited awareness about future opportunities.

Recognising this challenge, Kotak Education Foundation launched the Kotak Junior Scholarship, a CSR initiative of Kotak Mahindra Bank, designed to support 1,000 high-achieving students from economically disadvantaged communities across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The scholarship acts as a bridge through one of the most vulnerable stages in a student’s education journey, Grades 11 and 12. Along with financial assistance of ₹73,500 over 21 months, the programme offers one-on-one mentorship, academic assistance, career guidance, entrance exam preparation support, exposure visits, and regular family engagement to help students continue their education with confidence and dignity.

According to Ms. Arati Kaulgud, Project Director, Executive Committee Member, and Scholarship Program Head at Kotak Education Foundation, supporting students between Class 10 and 11 can fundamentally alter the trajectory of their lives. “A student who is able to successfully complete higher secondary education is far more likely to pursue graduation, access better employment opportunities, and become financially independent. In many ways, supporting a child between Class 10 and 11 is not just funding education, it is protecting potential and enabling it to be fulfilled,” she says.

What makes the scholarship programme impactful is its holistic approach. Along with financial aid, students receive mentorship, academic support, and career guidance, elements that are often equally important for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Even highly talented students often struggle with self-confidence, academic pressure, career choices, language barriers, and lack of exposure. These pressures, at times, their families themselves may not fully understand. A holistic support system bridges this gap,” says Ms.Arti

She explains that mentorship plays a particularly important role in helping students navigate the transition into college life. Mentors become a sounding board for students to relay their thoughts and self-doubts, while also helping parents understand the pressures their children may be going through. Academic support strengthens performance and confidence, while career guidance enables students to make informed decisions about the future instead of limiting themselves based on circumstance.

The challenges students face after Class 10, however, go far beyond finances. For many first-generation learners, junior college is their first exposure to a much larger world outside school and home, which can itself become overwhelming. Students often struggle to balance hectic college schedules with competitive entrance exam preparation, while dealing with emotional stress, social pressure, and comparisons created by social media. Girls frequently face additional barriers, including social stigma around travelling farther from home for quality education.

Another major challenge is the absence of an enabling ecosystem. Students from underserved communities may not have access to mentors, professional networks, digital resources, or even spaces conducive to learning. This often affects confidence levels and aspirations.

Despite these barriers, the resilience shown by students continues to stand out. “With the right support at the right time, students are able to overcome extraordinary odds,” says Ms.Arti.

Over the past 19 years, Kotak Education Foundation has witnessed the long-term impact education can create not just for individual students, but for entire families and communities. Many scholars become the first graduates in their families, improve household income, support younger siblings’ education, and emerge as role models within their communities.

Ms. Arti adds, “When one child from a low-income household completes higher education and secures stable employment, the ripple effect on the family can be transformational. Education creates confidence, financial stability, and upward mobility.”

Published on: Monday, May 18, 2026, 01:08 PM IST