Lok Sabha Question No. 2581 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Pre and Post-matric Scholarship to Minority Students
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2581

ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## PRE AND POST-MATRIC SCHOLARSHIP TO MINORITY STUDENTS

2581.   SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI: SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  budget  allocation  and  utilization  of  funds  for  pre-matric  and  post-matric scholarships for minority communities during the last five years, year-wise;
- (b)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  said  scholarships  were  instituted  after  the  Sachar  Committee Report  found  that  children  from  the  Muslim  community  were  among  the  most  educationally backward in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the educational status, achievement and needs among minority communities and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether it is a fact that the Government has discontinued pre-matric scholarships to students ofminority  communities  from  Class  one  to  Class  eightfrom  2022-23  and  if  so,  the  reasons therefor;
- (e)  the  details  of  the  number  of  students  whoreceived  the  said  scholarship  from  Class  one  to Classeight in 2021-22 including West Bengal; and
- (f)  whether  the  Government is taking  any stepsto improve educational access and achievement amongminority communities and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a)  &  (b):  The  Prime  Minister's  New  15  Point  Programme  for  the  Welfare  of  Minorities  was announced in June, 2006. It provided that Pre-Matric and Post Matric scholarship schemes would be  implemented  by  the  Government  for  meritorious  students  from  minority  communities.  The year-wise details of Budget Estimates and amount sanctioned under Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes during the last five years (2017-18 to 2021-22) are given in the table below: (In ₹ Crore)

| Financial Year   | Pre-Matric      | Pre-Matric        | Post Matric     | Post Matric       |
|------------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|-------------------|
| Financial Year   | Budget Estimate | Amount sanctioned | Budget Estimate | Amount sanctioned |
| 2017-18          | 950.00          | 1108.13           | 550.00          | 479.72            |
| 2018-19          | 980.00          | 1176.20           | 692.00          | 354.90            |
| 2019-20          | 1220.00         | 1324.85           | 496.01          | 428.77            |
| 2020-21          | 1330.00         | 1325.54           | 535.00          | 512.81            |
| 2021-22          | 1378.00         | 1350.99           | 468.00          | 411.87            |

(c)  &  (d):  It  has  been  assessed  on  the  basis  of  the  available  data  that  the  level  of  participation among students  from  minority  communities  is  at par with  the  national  average  at  primary  and elementary levels. This and the fact that the students at these levels are already covered under the Right to Education (RTE), Act, 2009, which makes it obligatory for the government to provide free and compulsory elementary education (classes I to VIII), to each and every child. Further, to harmonize the Scheme with the identical Scholarship Schemes implemented by the Government for  Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes, it  has  been decided to  discontinue scholarships  for classes I - VIII under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for minorities.

(e): During 2021-22, about 46.63 lakh minority students from Classes I to VIII were sanctioned scholarship under Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme in the country including West Bengal.

(f): While the Government will continue to implement the 3 Central Sector Scholarship Schemes for minorities  in a more focussed manner, it has already implemented various Schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every strata, including minorities, specially the economically weaker and lesser  privileged  sections  of  the  society,  through  various  schemes  of  the  Ministry  of  Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Education.