Lok Sabha Question No. 234 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-12
Subject: Students from Economically Backward Classes
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *234 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th  March, 2018

Students from Economically Backward Classes

## *234. SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:

## Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any policy for supporting the education of the students belonging to economically backward classes and those who are not able to pay the increased fee in the aftermath of implementation of recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (b):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO  IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (B) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 234 FOR 12.03.2018 ASKED BY SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA, REGARDING STUDENTS FROM ECONOMICALLY BACKWARD CLASSES

(a) to (b) : The Ministry of Human Resource Development is supporting the education of the students belonging to economically backward classes through the following schemes:

-  Fee  Waiver/remission  in  Indian  Institute  of  Technology  (IITs): Scheduled  Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Physically  Handicapped  students  are  given  complete  fee  waiver.  Full  remission  of  fee  is provided to those students whose parental income is less than Rs.1 lakh per annum and two third fee remissions are provided to those students whose parental income is between Rs.1 lakh to 5 lakh per annum.
-  Vidya Lakshmi Portal :-  The  Portal  is  a  single  window  IT  platform  which  provides  the  students with the information about the different loan schemes and facilitates online application and tracking the status of their loan application. Through the portal, education loan to  9354 students have  been disbursed till date.  The URL of the portal is https://www.vidyalakshmi.co.in/Students/index.
-  Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme, 2009 : Under the Educational Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks' Association, full Interest Subsidy is provided for the period of moratorium (course period+1 year) on the maximum loan amount of Rs. 10 lakh, taken by the economically weaker students, for pursuing  Technical/Professional  courses  in  India.    Since  the  inception  of  the  scheme,  26,83,532 students have benefitted and Rs. 9408.52 crore has been provided towards interest subsidy.
-  Special  Scheme  of  Construction  of  Women's  Hostel  for  College  and  University:Under  the scheme, Women's  Hostels in Colleges and Universities are being constructed with the objective to increase  the  reach  of  women  from  far-off  areas  to  join  good  universities  and  colleges  thereby increasing  the  representation  of  women  in  higher  education.  In  40  Central  Universities,  223 women's hostels have been constructed.

##  Scholarships

(i) Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Scholarship  for  College  and  University  Students: Financial assistance of Rs. 10000/- per annum for the first three years and Rs. 20,000/- per annum for the fourth  and  fifth  year,  is  provided  to  the  eligible  economically  backward  students,  for  pursuing higher studies.

(ii)  Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir: Financial assistance is provided to the eligible  economically  backward  students  from  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  to  pursue  higher  education outside the state.  Under the scheme, scholarship towards academic fee and maintenance allowance is provided.

(iii) National Means-Cum Merit Scholarship Scheme: S cholarships for an amount of Rs. 6,000 per  annum  is  provided  to  the  meritorious  economically  backward  students,  with  the  objective  to encourage them to continue their study at secondary and senior secondary stages.

(iv) Pragati  Scheme: The  scheme  aims  to  encourage  economically  backward  girls,  to  pursue technical education at Diploma and  Degree level. Scholarship is provided towards tuition fees and contingency.

(v)  Saksham  Scheme :  The  scheme  aims  to  encourage  economically  backward  differently  abled students,  to  pursue  technical  education  at  Diploma  and  Degree  level.  Scholarship  is  provided towards tuition fees and contingency.

(vi) Ishan Uday : Under the scheme, scholarship is provided to the economically backward students from the North East Region for pursuing Under Graduate General/Professional courses.

******