Lok Sabha Question No. 290 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-08
Subject: Scholarships for Minority Students
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 290 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2022

## SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

290. SHRI T. N. PRATHAPAN:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has data of fellowships distributed among minority students for higher education;

- (b) if so, the details regarding the same, year-wise since 2012;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  number  of  student  beneficiaries  of  various  minority  scholarships/ fellowships since 2012;

(d) the details of Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) including funds distributed and number of beneficiaries since 2014; and

(e)  whether  the Government  has  any proposal  to  stop  any  existing  scholarships/fellowships for minority students and if so, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  &  (b):  The  Government  provides  fellowship  for  higher  education  through  various Schemes,  including  the  Maulana  Azad  National  Fellowship  (MANF)  Scheme,  which are implemented by different Ministries/Departments. All these Schemes, except MANF, are open  for  candidates  of  all  communities  including  minorities  but  the  data  of  fellowship distributed among minority students is captured only under the MANF Scheme.

(c) & (d): The number of beneficiaries covered under the 3 Scholarship Schemes of Ministry of Minority Affairs namely Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Post Matric Scholarship Scheme and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme since 2012-13 is given at Annexure. The MANF Scheme was implemented by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and as per the data provided by UGC 6722 candidates were selected under the Scheme between 2014-15 and 2021-22 and fellowships to the tune of ₹ 738.85 crore were distributed during the same period.

(e):  Since  the  MANF  Scheme  overlaps  with  various  other  fellowship  Schemes  for  higher education being implemented by the Government and minority students are already covered under such Schemes, hence the Government has decided to discontinue the MANF Scheme from 2022-23.

***

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (C)  AND  (D)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  290  FOR  08.12.2022  REGARDING  SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

| Year     | SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED          | SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED           | SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED                     |
|----------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Year     | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme |
| 2012-13  | 6436984                       | 755643                         | 68096                                    |
| 2013-14  | 7794190                       | 890467                         | 100428                                   |
| 2014-15  | 7496593                       | 905620                         | 138770                                   |
| 2015-16  | 5178779                       | 666840                         | 133582                                   |
| 2016-17  | 4153524                       | 624990                         | 121937                                   |
| 2017-18  | 5311257                       | 698069                         | 119472                                   |
| 2018-19  | 5691854                       | 684265                         | 117771                                   |
| 2019-20  | 5568025                       | 743141                         | 118359                                   |
| 2020-21  | 5239964                       | 663316                         | 120371                                   |
| 2021-22* | 5710789                       | 720093                         | 131810                                   |
| Total    | 58581959                      | 7352444                        | 1170596                                  |

Source: National Scholarship Portal.

* Disbursement of Scholarships continues during 2022-23.