Lok Sabha Question No. 3313 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-09
Subject: National Fellowship and Scholarship of ST Students
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kirron  Kher, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Shobha Karandlaje

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3313

TO BE REPLIED ON 09.12.2019

## NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP OF ST STUDENTS

## 3313.   SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER:

## DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI: KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

## Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of number of schemes currently being run by the Ministry for the tribal students;
- (b) the details of funds allocated during the last three years to implement the National Fellowship  and  Scholarship  for  Higher  Education  of  ST  Students  and  National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad;
- (c) the details of grants released, expenditure incurred and the number of ST candidates awarded  the  Fellowship  under  National  Fellowship  and  Scholarship  for  Higher Education of ST students for the last three years;
- (d) the  number  and  details  of  ST  candidates  awarded  the  scholarship  annually  for pursuing M.Phil, Ph.D and M.Phil plus Ph.D during the last three years; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  concrete  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that  the fellowship amount is released to students in time directly into their accounts by DBT mode?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SMT. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

- (a) This Ministry implements the following schemes for Scheduled Tribe students in the States/UTs in the country:-
- i) Pre-Matric Scholarships for ST students
- ii) Post-Matric Scholarships for ST students
- iii) National Fellowship & Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students
- iv) National Overseas Scholarships for ST students for studying abroad
- v) Grants  in  aid  to  Voluntary  Organizations  Working  for  the  Welfare  of Scheduled Tribes
- vi) Strengthening Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts
- vii) Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India
- viii) Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
- ix) Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)
- x) Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs)
- (b) The  details  of  funds  allocated  under  the  scheme  National  Fellowship  and Scholarship  for  Higher  Education  of  ST  Students  and  National  Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad during the last three years are as under:-

(Rs. in lakhs)

| National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   | National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   | National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   | National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   | National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   | National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2016-17                                                                   | 2016-17                                                                   | 2017-18                                                                   | 2017-18                                                                   | 2018-19                                                                   | 2018-19                                                                   |
| BE                                                                        | RE                                                                        | BE                                                                        | RE                                                                        | BE                                                                        | RE                                                                        |
| 5000.00                                                                   | 8000.00                                                                   | 12000.00                                                                  | 10000.00                                                                  | 10000.00                                                                  | 10000.00                                                                  |

BE: Budget Estimates                       RE: Revised Estimates

(Rs. in lakhs)

| National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   | National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   | National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   | National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   | National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   | National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2016-17                                                               | 2016-17                                                               | 2017-18                                                               | 2017-18                                                               | 2018-19                                                               | 2018-19                                                               |
| BE                                                                    | RE                                                                    | BE                                                                    | RE                                                                    | BE                                                                    | RE                                                                    |
| 100.00                                                                | 39.00                                                                 | 100.00                                                                | 100.00                                                                | 200.00                                                                | 200.00                                                                |

BE: Budget Estimates                       RE: Revised Estimates

- (c) The  details  of  fellowship  amount  released  and  Scheduled  Tribe  candidates awarded the Fellowship under 'National Fellowship' component of the scheme National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST studentsduring the last three years are as under:-
- (d) Under the scheme, the total number of fresh fellowships each year is 750.  The selection  of  award  of  fellowship  is  based  on  merit  and  there  is  no  State/ University-wise allocation/ ceiling on number of slots under the scheme.
- (e) With the efforts made by the Ministry since 2017-18 number of applications has been increased and all the 750 fellowship slots are now filled up.  The Ministry has started implementing the scheme directly from the year 2017-18 onwards. For this purpose a dedicated portal has been designed in the Ministry for online applications  so  as  to  ensure  that  fellowship  amount  is  released  to  students  in time  directly  into  their  accounts  in  DBT  (Direct  Benefit  Transfer)  mode. Further,  the  scheme  has  been  integrated  with  Public  Financial  Management System (PFMS) and DBT Bharat Portal.

| 2016-17                   | 2016-17       | 2017-18                   | 2017-18       | 2018-19                   | 2018-19       |
|---------------------------|---------------|---------------------------|---------------|---------------------------|---------------|
| Expenditure (Rs in Lakhs) | Beneficiaries | Expenditure (Rs in Lakhs) | Beneficiaries | Expenditure (Rs in Lakhs) | Beneficiaries |
| 7312.25                   | 2197          | 7022.00                   | 2078          | 8208.91                   | 2456          |

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