Uttarakhand Cabinet raises free coaching income limit to Rs 8 lakh, amends UCC rules

The Uttarakhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved 25 proposals at its meeting on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The decisions include amended rules for the state's Uniform Civil Code, a rise in the family income limit for free coaching for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a year, a lower pass mark for students with disabilities in state board exams, and a Rs 7,412 crore supplementary budget. The supplementary budget is to be placed before the two-day Assembly session that begins on 27 October at Bhararisain in Gairsain.

Before this decision, a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe student could get free coaching from the state only if the family earned no more than Rs 2 lakh a year. Many families with modest incomes above that line still find private coaching for competitive and recruitment exams costly, so a ceiling of Rs 8 lakh should widen the pool of eligible students considerably. The department's order will set out when the new limit applies.

The pass mark change for students with specified disabilities follows a similar logic: it is meant to reduce the number of such students who fail by a small margin in the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. The relaxation applies to the state board. The board's notification will state the disability categories covered and the session from which it applies.

The Uniform Civil Code has been in force in Uttarakhand since January 2025. It sets common rules for marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships. The rules approved on 22 October are the operational detail for the 2026 amendment Act. Officials said the changes are meant to remove difficulties that came up during implementation and to correct clerical errors. The full text of the amended rules has not yet been published, so the specific changes for applicants, such as forms, timelines or fees, will be clear only once the notification appears.

The one-time settlement scheme for stamp duty disputes aims to clear old cases in which property buyers and the state disagree over how much duty was due. The government said the aim is faster disposal, more revenue and relief from interest and penalty for the people involved. Its exact terms and deadline have not yet been announced.

Short-term: The Rs 7,412 crore supplementary budget will be debated in the session at Bhararisain from 27 October. Departments will issue orders for the coaching scheme, the board exam relaxation and the stamp duty settlement, which will give the dates and application steps.

Long-term: A wider free coaching scheme could raise the number of SC and ST candidates from the state who prepare for civil services, police, banking and other recruitment exams. The stamp duty scheme could reduce the backlog before revenue courts.

Who is affected: SC and ST students in Uttarakhand and their families, students with disabilities taking Uttarakhand Board exams, people registering marriages, divorces or live-in relationships under the Uniform Civil Code, property buyers with pending stamp duty disputes.

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