Lok Sabha Question No. 2797 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-21
Subject: National Fellowship and Overseas  Scholarship
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Krishna Pal Singh Yadav, Aparupa  Poddar, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2797

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 21/03/2022

## NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP AND OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP

2797.     SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

DR. HEENA GAVIT:

DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL:

SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL:

SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of number of schemes currently run by the Government for the tribal students;

(b) the details of funds allocated to implement the 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 Statewise including Jharkhand;

(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 including Jharkhand; 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 Direct Benefit Transfer mode?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a): This Ministry implements the following ongoing Centrally Sponsored/ Central Sector schemes for Scheduled Tribe students 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 Organisations Working for the Welfare of   STs
- (vi)     Strengthening Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts
- (vii)     Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)

(b): The  scheme  of  'National  Fellowship  and  Scholarship  Higher  Education  of  ST  candidates'  and  'National Overseas Scholarship to ST students for studying abroad' is Central Sector Scheme and no State-wise allocation of funds is done under these schemes. The details of fund allocated under these schemes during the last three years are as under:-

| (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                       | (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                       | (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                       |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students' | Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students' | Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students' |
| 2018-19                                                                                                                              | 2019-20                                                                                                                              | 2020-21                                                                                                                              |
| 100.00                                                                                                                               | 100.00                                                                                                                               | 120.00                                                                                                                               |

| (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                   | (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                   | (Rs. in Crore)                                                                                                                   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad' | Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad' | Fund allocated during last three years under the scheme of 'National Overseas Scholarship for ST candidates for studying abroad' |
| 2018-19                                                                                                                          | 2019-20                                                                                                                          | 2020-21                                                                                                                          |
| 2.00                                                                                                                             | 2.00                                                                                                                             | 4.76                                                                                                                             |

- (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 students during the last three years are as under:-

| 2018-19        | 2018-19       | 2019-20        | 2019-20       | 2020-21        | 2020-21       |
|----------------|---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|---------------|
| Expenditure    | Beneficiaries | Expenditure    | Beneficiaries | Expenditure    | Beneficiaries |
| (Rs. in lakhs) |               | (Rs. in lakhs) |               | (Rs. in lakhs) |               |
| 82.09          | 2456          | 81.00          | 2552          | 90.70          | 2625          |

(d): Under the scheme, the total number of fresh fellowship 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): The Ministry has developed online portal for inviting and processing application for National Fellowship and National Overseas Schemes. The portals are integrated with concerned institutes for verification of documents which are  fetched  from  Digi  locker  in  Fellowship  and  Overseas  scholarship  students,    The  portal  has  online  grievance redressal  system.    The   fellowship  amount  is  released  directly  to  students  account  through  DBT  (Direct  Benefit Transfer) mode. Further, the scheme has been integrated with Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and DBT Bharat Portal.

For Prematric and Post Matric schemes, which are implemented by States, all States have developed their own portals or have adopted National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for inviting online applications, processing and fund release. The digital initiatives have substantially reduced the scholarship release time to students and funds to states.

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