Enhance annual scholarships for students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities and review scholarship schemes to give timely benefit to deprived sections, a parliamentary panel has directed the Centre.
The standing committee on social justice and empowerment has taken a grim view of the delays in disbursement of scholarships to deprived SC and OBC students and has directed the government to review the schemes. The committee has also asked the government to enhance the scholarship amount given under different schemes for SC, OBC and EBCs.
In its report, tabled in the Lok Sabha, the committee has said, "The Committee is of the opinion that the annual scholarship granted to a student for pursuing education is not sufficient to meet the present-day expenditure required to get proper and quality education."
The panel recommended that the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the nodal ministry for the welfare of SCs, OBCs and the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), should consult the education ministry and review the annual scholarship amount granted to each student.
"The Committee would like to recommend that the quantum of scholarship granted to a student under each scheme should be periodically reviewed to contain the inflation so that the scheme is more fruitful," the report states.
Scholarship schemes' outlay account for 72% of the total budget of the social justice and empowerment ministry. The major schemes include post-matric scholarship for SCs (which has the highest allocation of about ₹5,500-6,000 cr), pre-matric scholarship for SCs and others.
During its discussions with the ministry, the committee, headed by BJP MP PC Mohan, found that the proposals from state governments come for approval before the Centre as late as February or March as the states try to keep their portals open till the end of the fiscal.
The standing committee on social justice and empowerment has taken a grim view of the delays in disbursement of scholarships to deprived SC and OBC students and has directed the government to review the schemes. The committee has also asked the government to enhance the scholarship amount given under different schemes for SC, OBC and EBCs.
In its report, tabled in the Lok Sabha, the committee has said, "The Committee is of the opinion that the annual scholarship granted to a student for pursuing education is not sufficient to meet the present-day expenditure required to get proper and quality education."
The panel recommended that the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the nodal ministry for the welfare of SCs, OBCs and the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), should consult the education ministry and review the annual scholarship amount granted to each student.
"The Committee would like to recommend that the quantum of scholarship granted to a student under each scheme should be periodically reviewed to contain the inflation so that the scheme is more fruitful," the report states.
Scholarship schemes' outlay account for 72% of the total budget of the social justice and empowerment ministry. The major schemes include post-matric scholarship for SCs (which has the highest allocation of about ₹5,500-6,000 cr), pre-matric scholarship for SCs and others.
During its discussions with the ministry, the committee, headed by BJP MP PC Mohan, found that the proposals from state governments come for approval before the Centre as late as February or March as the states try to keep their portals open till the end of the fiscal.
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