The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced several significant changes to scholarship schemes for Scheduled Caste (SC), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Economically Backward Class (EBC) students, aiming to increase financial assistance and make the process more transparent and time-bound. According to the Ministry, more than 2.45 crore students have benefited from these schemes so far.
Under SC scholarship schemes—covering both Pre-Matric and Post-Matric categories—scholarships totaling ₹12,773 crore have been distributed to over 1.44 crore Scheduled Caste students. Meanwhile, financial assistance amounting to ₹2,445.05 crore has been provided to more than 1.01 crore students under OBC and EBC scholarship schemes.
The government has also made changes to the admission process under the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA). The annual schedule for the National Entrance Test for the SHRESHTA (NETS) has been shifted from May to December. The objective is to align the examination, counselling and admission process with the academic calendar, ensuring timely admissions for students and reducing delays in the commencement of studies or the possibility of students dropping out midway.
Document verification procedures under the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme have also been strengthened. Starting from the 2024-25 academic year, on-the-spot verification of income and caste certificates has been introduced at the level of the respective issuing authorities. The objective of this system is to curb fraudulent claims and ensure that scholarship benefits for higher education abroad reach only eligible candidates.
Furthermore, the grievance redressal process for the National Fellowship Scheme for SC Students has been made time-bound. Starting from the 2025-26 academic year, a mandatory seven-day grievance window will be available following the declaration of results for the UGC-NET and Joint CSIR-UGC NET. This will enable candidates to lodge complaints regarding discrepancies in the selection process within a stipulated timeframe and expedite the resolution process.
The objective of these reforms by the Ministry is to strengthen access to scholarships, higher education, and academic opportunities for SC, OBC, and EBC students. Emphasis is being placed on making the scholarship system more transparent, accountable, and student-centric through the expansion of financial assistance and changes to verification, admission, and grievance redressal processes.
(PIB)
