SC Post-Matric Scholarship scheme: After HC's direction, Punjab Govt asks depts to verify pending amount
Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, May 7
Days after the High Court directed the state government to release 40 per cent (state’s share) of Rs 400 crore to the SC students from 2017 to 2020 under the SC Post-Matric Scholarship scheme, the latter has asked technical, medical and higher education departments to verify the pending amount to be paid to the beneficiaries.
The scholarship includes the fee component given to educational institutions and maintenance charges paid to the SC students. The state government clarified that the Centre didn’t release its 60 per cent share to the beneficiaries as the scheme came to an end in 2016-2017 as a part of the 12th five-year plan. The Centre didn’t provide any funds between 2017 and 2020. During this period, many students left the colleges after completing their courses, thus leaving the educational institutions waiting to be compensated.
As a result, drastic fall in enrolment of the SC students was witnessed between 2017 and 2022. The Centre restarted this scheme in 2021 with the ratio of 60:40. From an abysmal low enrolment of 1.75 lakh SC students in 2020, the strength of students reached 2.50 lakh this year.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has sought an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India after the state failed to give reasons cited for the drop in the number of the SC students.
A central scheme
It was earlier a Central scheme, but from April 2017, the financial liability of the scheme was transferred to states. The demand raised under the scholarship scheme for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 was nearly Rs 1,550 crore. Prior to 2017, over three lakh students would avail the scholarship. The number has now gone down to two lakh.
