Ministry for Social Justice & Empowerment released an amount of Rs.5-cr to the State Government of Himachal Pradesh, towards central assistance for the current financial year 2011-2012, under the centrally sponsored scheme of Post-Matric Scholarships to student belonging to Scheduled Castes.
The Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students Scheme is a single largest intervention by Government of India for educational development of scheduled caste students. It is a flagship Scheme of the Ministry, in operation since 1944, which provides financial assistance to Scheduled Caste students studying at post matriculation level in the country. The financial assistance includes maintenance allowance, reimbursement of non-refundable compulsory fee, Book Bank facility and other allowances. There is no upper limit on the number of scholarships and all the SC students fulfilling the eligibility criteria are covered under the Scheme. About 48 lakh students are anticipated to be covered during 2011-12.During X FY Plan, an amount of Rs. 1826.91 Crore was released to cover 113.82 lakh beneficiaries. It has increased sharply in XI FY Plan and Rs.6780.52 crore has been released so far to cover 196.16 lakh beneficiaries.
The Scheme has been revised by the Government on 31-12-2010 w.e.f. 1.7.2010 and the revision includes increase in
(i) Parental income ceiling from Rs. 1.00 lakh p.a. to Rs. 2.00 lakh p.a.;
(ii) Regrouping of courses; and
(iii) Rates of maintenance and other allowances.
Rates of maintenance and other allowances have been increased by 60% with respect to pre-revised rates. Presently, 23 State Governments have already implemented revised Scheme. Others are under process to implement the revised Scheme.
