No plan to scrap post-matric scholarship for ST/SC students: Centre

The Centre has said there is no proposal to discontinue the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme for Scheduled Tribe or Scheduled Caste students. There have been concerns about whether the scheme will continue beyond 2025-26.

In a written response in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said the objective of the scheme is to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of SC and ST students in higher education and that there is no plan to scrap the scheme.

Both schemes are currently being implemented with funding and eligibility parameters approved by the Cabinet and Expenditure Finance Committee, which remain valid from financial year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

The Centre-State funding patterns differ for SC and ST students.

For SC students, the cost-sharing ratio is 60:40 between the Centre and the states, except for the North-Eastern states, where it is 90:10.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment releases the central share directly to students' Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), but only after the state has disbursed its 40 per cent share.

For ST students, the fund-sharing ratio stands at 75:25 between the Centre and the states.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs releases 75 per cent of the amount to state governments or Union Territories, which then contribute the remaining 25 per cent and transfer the full amount to students via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in a single instalment.