Lackadaisical attitude of educational institutions deprives ST, OBC students of scholarship
Principals of government and provincilized colleges have been directed to take initiative for registration of their institutions at National Scholarship Portal (NPS) for speedy implementation of scholarship schemes for ST and OBC students
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students have been deprived of the government's pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, largely due to the lackadaisical attitude of educational institutions. The pre-matric and post-matric scholarship for ST and OBC students of Assam has been implemented by the Directorate of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes (WPT & BC), Assam through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) since 2018-19. The scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to ST and OBC students studying at pre-matriculation and post-matriculation level to enable them to pursue higher education.
Bhawani Prasad Sharma, Director, WPT & BC, Assam, admitted that ST and OBC students were being deprived of availing this scholarship due to 'negligence' and lack of enthusiasm shown by educational institutions in implementing this scheme. Talking to The Sentinel, Sharma said, "There is sufficient fund for giving scholarship to ST and OBC students in order to meet the cost of their education. However, the number of students who are getting this scholarship is not as expected. This is because educational institutions do not send the list of students on time."
He further said, "There is lack of awareness also among students. Not many know about this scholarship. As a result, online applications received at NSP is very poor, especially at pre-matric level."
In this regard, the Director, WPT & BC, Assam has written to the Director, Technical Education, Assam; the Director, Medical Education; the Director, Higher Education, Assam; the Director, Secondary Education, Assam; and the Director, Elementary Education, Assam, directing them to take initiative for registration of all the institutions under their control at NSP for speedy implementation of scholarship schemes for ST and OBC students.
Under this scholarship scheme, OBC students from Class I-Class IX will get Rs 1,500 per annum as scholarship while for hostel boarders, the scholarship amount is Rs 5,500 per annum. The post-matric scholarship varies from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 depending on the post-matric course they are pursuing. The parents' annual income of the OBC students who avail the scholarship must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh.
In the case of ST students, the pre-matric scholarship amount is Rs 1,200 per annum for Class I-Class VIII students. The parents' annual income of the students who avail the scholarship must not exceed Rs 50,000. On the other hand, the scholarship amount for students of Class IX -Class X is Rs 3,000 per annum for day scholar and Rs 6,250 per annum for hostel boarder. The parents' annual income must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh. The post-matric scholarship for ST students also varies from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 depending on the post-matric course they are pursuing.
Meanwhile, the Director of Higher Education, Assam, while taking cognizance of the less number of online applications received at NSP, has written to the Principals of government and provincilaized colleges of Assam regarding registration of educational institutions at National Scholarship Portal (NPS). The Principals have been directed to take initiative for registration of their institutions at NPS for speedy implementation of scholarship schemes for ST and OBC students, as sought by the Director, WPT & BC, Assam.
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