Pune: To provide financial and academic support to underprivileged students, a scholarship assistance programme for pharmacy students ha been launched in the city. The initiative is a joint effort by NGO Samavesh: Action for Impact and the National Pharmacy Welfare Association (NPWA), formalized through a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the MCE Society's Institute of Pharmacy. During the launch event, Vilas Londhe, Assistant Commissioner, Social Welfare Department, underlined the need for closer coordination between teachers and students to help candidates from marginalized backgrounds access scholarships more easily. He proposed a “one teacher, one student” model, encouraging educators to guide and support learners through financial and procedural hurdles. Samavesh founder Pravin Nikam highlighted that the programme not only aims to extend financial aid but also to assist students in securing necessary legal documents, which often delay or restrict their education. He noted that Samavesh has already supported more than 2,000 economically disadvantaged students in accessing mainstream higher education. According to a report by theHindustan Times, the collaboration between Samavesh and NPWA is expected to widen opportunities for deserving pharmacy students by creating a support system that combines financial assistance with mentorship and legal aid.