Furnish details of SC students whose degrees withheld, government educational institutes told

In in a first-of-its-kind move, the department of Social Justice and Empowerment has asked the government colleges and state universities to furnish an undertaking, stating that they have not withheld detailed mark sheets (DMCs) and degrees of the students enrolled under the Scheduled Caste Post Matric Scholarship scheme.

In many cases, the SC students had not been able to secure admission or employment due to withholding of their degrees as the education institution did not deposit their examination fee.

Centre yet to release Rs 1,180 cr

• There is dispute going on between the state and the Centre over funding allocations after the SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme ended as part of the 12th Five-Year Plan in 2016-2017
• Of the total Rs 1,540 crore, nearly Rs 1,180 crore remains unpaid. While the state has released Rs 366 crore for students enrolled with private institutions, the Centre has not released its share

Issuing instructions, the Department of Higher Education has asked the Vice-Chancellors of Punjab University, Chandigarh; Punjab University, Patiala; and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, to furnish details of all such students whose DMCs and degree have been withheld since 2017-18.

Though the exact data of the students affected by withholding of the DMC and degree is yet be compiled by the Department of Social Welfare and Empowerment, sources said the number such students could be near 80,000, involving scholarship amount of around Rs 250 crore.

The scholarship funds are transferred directly to the students’ bank accounts by the Centre, and the students are then expected to pay their tuition fees to their respective colleges. “We have seen that in case of private institutions, the beneficiaries reimburse the fee to their respective institutions. As a result, their degrees are withheld”, pointed out a senior official.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has also sought information about such institutions, controlled by the Departments of Animal Husbandry, Technical Education, Higher Education, and Medical Education and Research.