Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
by PIB Delhi
Scholarships to SC/ST/OBC Students

The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment implements the following Schemes for providing scholarship to SC and OBC students:-

  1. Post-Matric Scholarship to the SC Students
  2. Pre-Matric Scholarship to the SC Students Studying in classes IX &  X
  3. National Overseas Scholarship
  4. Top Class Education
  5. Pre- Matric Scholarship for OBC Students
  6. Post- Matric Scholarship for OBC Students
  7. Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship for EBC Students
  8. Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNT students

Post-Matric Scholarship & Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme to the SC Students are Centrally Sponsored Scheme and implemented through State Government/ UT Administrations. State invites application and disburses the scholarship amount to beneficiaries. These Schemes are open to all who are eligible. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) is Central Sector Scheme to facilitate the low income students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, to obtain higher education viz., Master degree or Ph.D courses by studying  abroad thereby improving their Economic and Social status.  Under NOS scheme,  the Tuition fee is paid by  the concerned Indian Mission/ Embassy to the University/ institution where candidates get  admission.  The Maintenance and

Contingency Allowance is paid by the concerned Indian Mission/ Embassy to the Candidate

in his/her foreign bank account on every six month basis.”

Pre- Matric Scholarship, Post- Matric Scholarship for OBC Students, Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship for EBC Students, Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNT students are Centrally Sponsored Schemes and are implemented through State Government/ UTs. State Governments/UTs make provision for funds over the above the Central Assistance to cover all eligible students.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the following Schemes for providing scholarships to ST students in the country: –

i)       Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class IX and X)

ii)      Post Matric Scholarship for ST students(Class XI and above)

iii)     National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students.

iv)     National Overseas Scholarship for ST students.

Out of the schemes mentioned above, the scholarship schemes at Sl.No (i) to (ii) are open ended schemes where scholarships are given to all eligible students for pursuing studies from class 9th  to PhD, whose parental income is upto Rs.2.5 lakh. The funds are released to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations who further disburse the scholarship amount to all the eligible ST Student’s bank account through DBT mode.

The scheme at Sl. No (iii) above is implemented by the Ministry and fund is directly released to students/Institute through DBT mode. This scheme is for higher education, merit based and has two components i.e. National Fellowship and National Scholarship. For the National Fellowship, 750 awards are awarded every year for pursuing MPhil and PhD. Under the National Scholarship, 1000 Scholarships are awarded every year for pursuing higher education in 246 top class Institutes like IIT, AIIMS, NIIT.

In so far as the scheme at Sl.No (iv) is concerned, the Ministry implements the same through Ministry of External Affairs and scholarship amount is released to Student’s bank account by the concerned Indian Embassy/Mission.  20 awards are awarded every year for pursuing higher studies abroad.

This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri A. Narayanaswamy in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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MG/RNM/IA