SCHEME OF ‘POST-MATRIC SCHOLARSHIP’ FOR STUDENTS BELONGING TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES

BACKGROUND

The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was announced in June, 2006. It provides that a post-matric scholarship scheme for meritorious students from minority communities would be implemented.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the scheme is to award scholarships to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of minority community so as to provide them better opportunities for higher education, increase their rate of attainment in higher education and enhance their employability.

SCOPE

The scholarship is to be awarded for studies in India in a government or private higher secondary school/college/university, including such residential institutes of the Government and eligible private institutes selected and notified in a transparent manner by the State Government/Union Territory Administration concerned. It will also cover technical and vocational courses in Industrial Training Institutes/ Industrial Training Centres affiliated with the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) of classes XI and XII level including Polytechnics and other courses (any course of less than one year duration is not covered under this scheme; Certificate courses are also not covered).

ELIGIBILITY

Scholarship will be awarded to the students who have secured not less than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination and the annual income of whose parents/guardians from all sources does not exceed Rs.2.00 lakh.

DISTRIBUTION

Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. A total of five (05) lakh scholarships are targeted to be distributed as ‘Fresh’ Scholarships, besides, Renewal scholarships. The distribution of scholarship among the States/Union Territories will be made on the basis of population of minorities in the States/Union Territories as per Census 2001 for 2017-18 and as per the population of minorities in the States/Union Territories of Census 2011 for 2018-19 and 2019-20 (as per Appendices- A & B).

CONDITIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIP

  • Scholarship will be awarded to the students studying in Classes XI and XII including technical and vocational courses of this level including Polytechnics, ITIs, and other courses.
  • An Income Certificate, issued from a Competent Authority in the State/UT Governments is required in respect of parent/guardian of the student.
  • A Self-Certified Community Certificate is required from the student who has attained 18 years of age. For others the Community Certificate certified by parent/guardian of the student is required.
  • The continuance of award (for Renewal applicants) will be subject to securing 50% marks in the previous year’s examination (provided the students pursues the same course and same Institute/School).
  • Maintenance allowance will be provided to hostellers and day scholars.
  • Scholarship will not be given to more than two students from a family (applicable for all Scholarship schemes meant for minorities under this Ministry taken together).
  • Students should be regular in attendance for which the yardstick will be decided by the competent authority of the school.
  • The school/institute will certify the claim of student of being an outstation student not residing in hostel of the school/institute concerned on the basis of permanent address and parents’ address.
  • Migration of students from one school/institute to another is not allowed for renewal applicants during the period of academic course.
  • If a student violates school discipline or any other terms and conditions of the scholarship, scholarship may be suspended or cancelled. The State Government/Union Territory Administration can also directly cancel the award if duly satisfied of the reasons of violation of these regulations governing the scheme.
  • If a student is found to have obtained a scholarship by false statement, his/her scholarship will be cancelled forthwith and the amount of the scholarship paid will be recovered by the concerned State/UT Govt.
  • The course/tuition fees and maintenance allowancewill be credited to the student’s account directly under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
  • The student obtaining benefits under this scheme shall not be allowed to avail of benefits under any other scheme for this purpose.

RENEWAL OF SCHOLARSHIP

The scholarship, once awarded, may be renewed during the next academic year of the course on the production of certificate that the student has secured 50% marks in the previous year’s examination (provided the students pursues the same course and same Institute/School).

ANNOUNCEMENT OF SCHEME

The scheme will be announced by the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration well in time, through advertisements in the leading language newspapers and local dailies and by using other suitable publicity media.

MODE OF APPLYING

The scheme is implemented through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). It is mandatory for all students to apply online on the website i.e. www.scholarships.gov.in.

INSTRUCTIONS RELATED TO BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS (to be filled by the students in online application form are as under):

  • Students must select their bank/branch name carefully from the drop down list.
  • Thereafter the complete account no. must be entered correctly. Students are suggested to get their account number verified by their concerned Bank Branch including Bank account number and IFS Code.
  • Disclaimer (*If bank details entered by students are found incorrect or not validated by the student’s bank, the scholarship will be canceled/amount will not be transferred even though the application is approved for scholarship).
  • Bank Account holders must check their ‘Know your Customer’ (KYC) status from bank and if required the KYC must be done for successful transaction of scholarship amount.
  • Bank Account must be operational/active till the scholarship is disbursed. (vi) Bank Account must be preferably in any scheduled Bank with core banking facility and proper IFS Code. (vii) Bank Account must be in the name of the student/applicant only