House panel recommends revision in SC/ST scholarship at par with inflation rate

A parliamentary standing committee has said that it is the need of the time that the amount of scholarship may be increased at par with the ongoing inflation rates

A parliamentary standing committee has recommended the government to revise the stipend given under the pre and post-matric scholarships meant for schedule caste (SC) and schedule tribe (ST) students, in order to help them cope with the impact of inflation.

The standing committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes submitted a report in Parliament on Monday. (File Photo)

The standing committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, in its action taken report submitted in Parliament on Monday, recommended the government to set up guidelines regarding formulating a committee at state level on a yearly basis to review the amount of scholarship disperse under these schemes, and recommend the revision in the amount keeping up with the increased cost of education during that financial year.

“It is the need of the time that the amount of scholarship may be increased for both the schemes to keep at par with the ongoing inflation rates,” the panel said in its report.

According to the report, the pre-matric scholarship, students get stipend between ₹225 to ₹525 for 10 months, and additional amount of ₹750-1000 per annum for books. Under post-matric scholarship, SC students get stipend amounts between ₹7,000 to ₹13,500 yearly for degree and postgraduate level professional courses, and for non-degree courses, it’s between ₹2,400 to ₹4,000. The amount varies for day scholars and hostel students. For ST students, the post-matric stipend also amounts between ₹500 to ₹1,200, monthly.

The scholarships for SC students are run by the ministry of social justice and empowerment, and for ST students by the ministry of tribal affairs.

In its response to the committee, the Social Justice and Empowerment ministry said the pre and post matric scholarship for SC students were revised in 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively, up to financial year 2025-26. “However, to offset the impact of inflation, a proposal to increase the academic allowance was sent to the finance ministry. However, the same was not considered by the finance ministry.”

The tribal affairs ministry also informed the committee that the scholarship amount for ST students were revised in 2021-22, up to financial year 2025-26.

Expressing “dismay” over the fact that the above proposal was not considered by the finance ministry, the committee, in its report said, “The ministry should submit a fresh proposal to the finance ministry in the light of the recommendation of the committee and pursue it rigorously.”