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| PM's Scholarship scheme sure to die un-natural death | | | Bashir Assad
Srinagar, July31; Uncertainty looms large over the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme (SSS) for J&K students which hit several roadblocks in last two years and now the Human Resources Development Ministry has almost blocked the admissions by putting new conditions.
Though the Human Resources Development Ministry recently reviewed the scheme and announced fresh registration through All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) canceling the previous registration made by the students through NGOs., however, putting fresh conditions have added to the confusion.
The fresh conditions set up in the scheme like no scholarship to candidates selected under management quota has made the scheme almost defunct.
Interestingly, only two percent quota is reserved under the government quota while rest of the candidates are selected under the management quota. However as per the new guidelines there is no scholarship for the candidates under the management quota.
Official sources confirmed that over the years the students who have been selected under the management quota of the scheme have not received any scholarship funds till date.
The colleges entertained students from J&K on the pretext that they would get fee and other expenses from the MHRD. "However the delay of more than one and a half year has made the entire scholarship scheme a damp squib," said a source "The scheme provided that a particular income group of boys and girls after being verified properly would be selected for admission in various colleges and Universities. However, the scholarship has not been released so far by the MHRD. "The new conditions put by the MHRD has made the scheme further complicated and a wave of disenchantment has spread among the aspiring students of the state" said a student who has applied a fresh for registration under the scheme.
"Many students have returned back with a deep sense of frustration," said a student who has secured admission in a Haryana college and has returned as the scholarship was not disbursed due to which the college management pressed him of paying the fee dues. The scheme was recommended in 2011 by an expert group headed by Dr C Rangarajan for encouraging the J&K youth to pursue higher studies outside the State. Initially, Rs 1200 crore were kept for the successful implementation of the scheme by the Union HRD ministry. The scheme provides Rs 30000 as tuition fee a year for general courses, Rs 1.25 lakh for engineering course and Rs 3 lakh for medical courses. In addition, the scheme would also cover hostel fee up to Rs 1 lakh a year.
Initially the scheme was hijacked by NGOs who mismanaged it and now it's the MHRD itself which has literally blocked the scheme by putting new but unwarranted conditions, said a renowned social activist.
He said it seems the scheme might be winded up because the MHRD has made it redundant. |
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