South Eastern Coalfields (SECL) has launched its flagship CSR programme ‘SECL Ke Sushrut’ which is the first CSR scheme of any Coal PSU to be notified in the Gazette of India.

The Ministry of Coal has issued a Gazette Notification, allowing the beneficiaries of the scheme under Aadhaar Act, 2016 and Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance Rules, 2020 to be authenticated using Aadhaar. This notification enables a transparent, efficient, targeted delivery of the benefits through voluntary authentication of Aadhaar and also offers alternative identity documents from the government to those who do not want to use Aadhaar.

SECL Ke Sushrut started residential NEET coaching for meritorious students from SECL's operational areas in 2023, which is offered on a free-of-cost basis, and helps them pursue careers in medicine and allied healthcare. The programme has achieved consistently good outcomes. In the first batch (2023-24), out of 40 students, 39 secured the NEET qualification, securing admission to MBBS, BDS, BAMS, Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Veterinary programmes in government colleges of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In the second batch (2024-25), 31 out of 40 students qualified for NEET, and were allotted seats in MBBS, BDS, BAMS, and Bachelor of Fisheries Science courses.

The Gazette notification further strengthens the institutional framework of the initiative, which will improve transparency, accountability and access to beneficiaries. Notably, SECL Ke Sushrut was earlier the first and only Coal PSU CSR scheme to be listed on the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Portal of Government of India, further underscoring its exemplary governance practices and commitment towards delivering transparent and technologically enabled services to government.

The scheme will provide further opportunities to support students from the mining areas of the country and also nurture the next generation of medical professionals in India.