New Delhi, December 18
The human resource development (HRD) ministry today announced a major scholarship scheme for
college and university students falling in the non-creamy layer.
The new income ceiling for creamy layer being Rs 4.5 lakh, a significant number of students are likely to be benefited by the new central scheme. The government recently revised the income criterion for creamy layer from the earlier limit of Rs 1.5 lakh annually.
As many as 82,000 college and university students will be covered, half of them girls. But the facility will come at a cost, with the ministry clarifying that renewal of scholarship from year-to-year would depend on “good conduct and fulfillment of prescribed academic performance.”
This is the second central scholarship scheme the government has announced this year. Earlier in May, the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship scheme was announced with the objective of offering one-lakh scholarships to poor secondary-level school students. The new scheme offers a similar support to poor students in the higher education sector.
Never mind the fact that the government is yet to disburse funds to states for the previous scheme which would cost Rs 3000 crore. Minister of state for HRD M.A. Faatmi made the admission to this effect in the Lok Sabha recently.
The new central scheme titled “Scheme of scholarship for college and university students” will come into effect from this year and would cover 82,000 meritorious students every year, the ministry today said.
The catch, however, is that the beneficiaries must belong to non-creamy layer, must be studying in recognised central higher educational institutions, and must not be receiving any other such scholarship.
The department of higher education in the ministry further added that 50 per cent of the total number of new scholarships for higher education would be available to girls to bridge the gender gap in higher education. What’s different about the new scheme (in comparison to the last) is its amount.
While the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship provided for one lakh scholarships at the rate of Rs 6,000 each to students between classes IX to XII, the scholarship rate in the new scheme would be Rs 1,000 a month for graduation level for the first three years of study. It will rise to Rs 2000 a month in the last two years.
The ministry added that the scholarship would be paid for 10 months in an academic year. Besides, it will also be open to students pursuing professional courses through recognised institutions.
Meanwhile, all state boards of senior secondary education, CBSE and ICSE have been told to contact eligible candidates based on the merit list of senior secondary examination results 2008 and recommend to the ministry the details of scholars thus selected. “Disbursement of scholarships to these selected students will be made by the ministry directly into the bank account of the students, through a designated bank,” ministry officials said.
