The dreams of reserved category students are getting flight due to the scholarship scheme of the central government
The central government runs many scholarship schemes to financially help the meritorious children studying in the schools of the country. Under this, 3,04878 scholarships were sanctioned under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the meritorious students of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the last three years. In which an expenditure of Rs 358.34 crore is involved. In the same period, 1844 scholarships were sanctioned under the National Talent Search Scheme (NTSS) involving an expenditure of Rs.3,4893000.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that the government has started various scholarships for the meritorious students of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs) studying in schools in the country. The Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes are being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) for all eligible SC/ST students.
NMMSS to prevent drop out in class 8th
He told about the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) that the Central Sector Scheme National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme was launched in May 2008 with the objective of providing meritorious students from economically weaker sections in class VIII. The scholarship was to be provided with the aim of preventing their drop out and encouraging them to continue their studies at the secondary level. Under the scheme one lakh new scholarships are provided every year to the selected students of class 9th to study in state government, government aided and local body schools and their continuation/renewal from class 10th to 12th. From 1st April 2017 the amount of scholarship is Rs.12000/-. per year (earlier it was Rs.6000/- per annum). This scheme is 100 percent funded by the central government.
Eligible for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that NMMSS is open to all categories of students including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on the basis of their means and merit. The parental income limit for the scheme is Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. The selection test is conducted every year for the students of Eastern class by the respective state/UT. There is a provision of reservation as per the norms of the state government. The details of the number of SC/ST beneficiaries and the amount sanctioned under NMMSS during the last three years and the current year are as follows. From the financial year 2018-19 to 2021-22, 304878 scholarships were sanctioned involving an expenditure of Rs 358.34 crore.
Scholarships offered under NMMSS
In the year 2018-19, 71500 scholarships were sanctioned, involving an expenditure of Rs.82.83 crore. In the year 2019-20, 87933 scholarships were sanctioned involving an expenditure of Rs.102.09 crore. In the year 2020-21, 80869 scholarships were sanctioned involving an expenditure of Rs.95.93 crore. In the year 2021-22, 64576 scholarships were sanctioned involving an expenditure of Rs.77.49 crore.
National Talent Search Scheme
He informed that the National Talent Search Scheme (NTSS) is being conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under this Ministry. This scheme is not exclusive to the meritorious students of SC/ST only but is open to all those students who qualify the state and national level selection test. Scholarships are provided to SC/ST/OBC/EWS and physically handicapped students as per the reservation policy under NTSS. The selected candidates are provided scholarship for class 11th and 12th at the rate of Rs 15000/- per annum per annum. There is a provision for continuation of scholarship at higher education level also. The scholarship amount is directly transferred to the selected students' account.
Pradhan informed that under NTSS, 1844 scholarships were sanctioned from the financial year 2019-20 to 2021-22, involving an expenditure of Rs.34893000.
Scholarship given under National Talent Search
In the financial year 2019-20, 823 scholarships were sanctioned involving an expenditure of Rs.15780000. In the financial year 2020-21, 362 scholarships were sanctioned, involving an expenditure of Rs 6387000. In the financial year 2021-22, 659 scholarships were sanctioned, involving an expenditure of Rs.12726000.
All information available on National Scholarship Portal
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, fully available on the National Scholarship Portal, was developed to facilitate issuance of scholarships and its fast tracking and assuring the award of scholarships with efficiency, transparency and reliability. Under this scheme, students belonging to Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes / Other Backward Classes and economically weaker sections are getting scholarships on time. No in releasing scholarship even under National Talent Search SchemeThere is no delay.
The scholarship amount is directly transferred to the account of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
