Scholarships for Students of Reserved Categories

Government has introduced various scholarships for the meritorious students including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) students studying in schools in the country

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

LOK SABHA 

STARRED QUESTION NO. 449
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2022

Scholarships for Students of Reserved Categories

449.  SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI
         SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON

(a) whether the Government has introduced various scholarships for the meritorious students of Schedule Castes/Schedule Tribes (SCs/STs) studying in schools in the country and if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year, year/scholarship- wise;

(b) the number of SC/ST students applied for scholarships and amount released by the Government during the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise and year-wise;

(c) whether several students from SCs/STs/OBCs and economically weaker section are not receiving scholarships in time;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure timely action in this regard; and

Scholarships for Students of Reserved Categories

(e) whether the Government has started transfer scholarship amount directly into the beneficiary student account and if so, details thereof along with the number of students benefited till date?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION

(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a)to (e):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *449 ASKED BY SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI AND SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON, HON’BLE MPs, LOK SABHA REGARDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS OF RESERVED CATEGORIES FOR ANSWER ON 04.04.2022.

(a) & (b): The Government has introduced various scholarships for the meritorious students including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) students studying in schools in the country. Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship schemes for all eligible SC/ST students are also being implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).

Under the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) of Ministry of Education, the following scholarship schemes for meritorious students are being implemented, details of which are given below:

1. National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS):

The Central Sector Scheme ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)’ was launched in 2008, with the objective to award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage. One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students of class IX every year with continuation / renewal in classes X to XII for study in State Government, Government-aided and Local body schools under the scheme. The amount of scholarship is Rs. 12000/- per annum from 1st April 2017 (earlier it was Rs. 6000/- per annum).The scheme is 100% funded by Central Government.

The NMMSS is open to students of all categories including SC and ST, based on their means and merit. The parental income ceiling for the scheme is Rs. 3.5 lakhs per annum. Selection examination is conducted for students of 8th standard every year by State/UT concerned. There is reservation as per the State Government norms. The number of SC/ST beneficiaries and amount sanctioned under NMMSS during the last three years and the current year is as follows:

S.No.

Financial

Year

SC-

Category

ST-

Category

No.
of Scholarships (fresh + renewals)

Amount

Sanctioned

(Rupees

in crore)

No.
of Scholarships (fresh + renewals)

Amount

Sanctioned

(Rupees

in crore)

1

2018-19

59314

69.01

12186

13.82

2

2019-20

60438

70.38

27495

31.71

3

2020-21

58307

69.13

22562

26.80

4

2021-22 as on

31.03.2022

48116

57.74

16460

19.75

2. National Talent Search Scheme (NTSS):
This scheme is implemented by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under this Ministry. The scheme is not specific to meritorious SC/ST students alone but is open to all students who qualify the selection exams at state and national level. Under NTSS scholarships are awarded to SCs/STs/OBCs/EWS and physically handicapped students as per reservation policy. The selected candidates are awarded the scholarships @ Rs. 15000/- per annum for classes XI and XII. There is provision for continuation of the scholarship at higher education level also. The scholarship amount is transferred directly to the account of the selected students.

The detail of scholarship disbursed to the SC & ST students under NTSS is as follows:

Financial Year

No. of students benefitted

Amount of scholarship disbursed (in Rs.)

No. of students benefitted

Amount of scholarship disbursed (in Rs.)

SC

ST

2021-22

496

9591000

163

3135000

2020-21

244

4332000

118

2055000

2019-20

619

11985000

204

3795000

Total

1359

25908000

485

8985000

(c) & (d): The National Means – cum – Merit Scholarship Scheme is fully on-boarded on the National Scholarship Portal, which was developed for streamlining and fast-tracking the release of scholarships and assuring the delivery of scholarships with efficiency, transparency and reliability .Under this scheme ,  the students from SCs/STs/OBCs and economically weaker section are receiving scholarships in time. Under the National Talent Search Scheme too there is no delay in release of the scholarships.
(e): Scholarship amounts are transferred directly into the account of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in all the schemes.

नोट :- हमारे वेबसाइट www.indiangovtscheme.com पर ऐसी जानकारी रोजाना आती रहती है, तो आप ऐसी ही सरकारी योजनाओं की जानकारी पाने के लिए हमारे वेबसाइट www.indiangovtscheme.com से जुड़े रहे।

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