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Frequently Asked Questions

Why not join the already existing Trusts ?

Though there are some already existing trusts helping students in their education, they either address a selected few sections of the student community based on religion, caste etc., or concentrate only on people who score top ranks irrespective of their economic status. There is a large unaddressed section of the student population who are economically underprivileged and do not have any source of financial assistance to continue with their education. Aksharam tries to help students in this group.

Will I get tax exemption for my contribution?

Aksharam has been successfully registered, with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) department, as a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. (Ref: EIN: 04- 3524860, dated July 24, 2000). All tax-payers in the United States can claim their contributions to Aksharam as tax exempt.

Aksharam is registered as a charity organisation in India. We are working on the process of getting tax exemption from Act 80G of IT dept. in India.

Will my employer match my contributions to Aksharam ?

Your employer may have a corporate policy of matching charitable contributions by employees. Please talk to your corporate Human Resources representative to verify if such a policy is implemented in your company. Aksharam will qualify for matching employer contributions in almost all cases.
Depending on your employer, you can almost triple your effective contribution to Aksharam if you make use of this facility at no additional cost to you.

How can I contribute ?

You can contribute to Aksharam with your monetary help. We would also love to hear from you regarding your willingness to act as a contact person, help us with our collection drive or simply give us your suggestions for us to improve and be more effective.

What student population does Aksharam effectively reach ?

Due to geographical and logistical limitations, our beneficiarlies are located in and around Trichy District in Tamil Nadu, India. At this point in time, we do not have concrete plans to expand to other towns/cities.

Can I suggest beneficiaries/institutions that require assistance ?

We welcome your suggestions. However, the beneficiary or institution will be examined by the management committee before a decision is made. The decision of the management committee is final and binding.

How much does Aksharam spend on a student ?

Typically we have been spending approximately Rs. 1500 (approx. $30 USD)  to support a student at the school level.  Our grants at the collegiate levels are bigger and we are spending an average of Rs. 7500  (approx. $175 USD) on collegiate students.

Does Aksharam grant student loans ?

Aksharam does not grant student loans.  We  grant scholarships to deserving students without any expected repayment. However, it is our fond hope that the students we now support will in turn help others when they achieve self sufficiency.

How does Aksharam support collegiate education ?

Aksharam  partially supports collegiate education. Typically, we help students with their tuition expenses for the initial year or two.  We consciously encourage students to apply for loans from lending institutions to pay for their education. This not only instills fiscal responsibility in students but also helps us focus on supporting  school education.