New Delhi: In an embarrassing disclosure, the social justice department’s proposal to increase the scholarship rates under its pre-matric scholarship programme for the OBC students, has been refused by the finance ministry, citing lack of funds.
Under the scheme, meritorious students from Classes I to V are paid a paltry Rs 25 as scholarship amount. For students from Classes VI to VIII this amount is Rs 40 and for Classes IX and X it is Rs 50.
What is even more appalling is the fact that the scholarship rates have not been revised since the inception of the scheme in 1998-99. The extremely low amounts, sources aware of the developments, serve no purpose in today’s times when the consumer price index has grown manifolds since the past 18 years.
Considering the fact that it is a prestigious scheme of the Centre and caters to students belonging to the poorest of the poor category, the paltry amounts paid to meritorious students in the name of scholarship, make a mockery of their talent, official sources said.
Sources aware of the details said that keeping in mind the growing rate of inflation, the scholarship amounts require an immediate revision, otherwise the very purpose of providing financial incentives to meritorious students coming from poor family backgrounds for motivating them to do well, would be defeated.
