Lok Sabha Question No. 181 (STARRED), answered on 2022-12-20
Subject: Change in Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Jayanta Kumar Roy, Ritesh Pandey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.181

## CHANGE IN PRE-MATRIC SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

## 181. DR JAYANTA KUMAR ROY: SHRI RITESH PANDEY:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has stopped pre-matric scholarships for students from class to & and decided to limit only to class 9 and 10 belonging to Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Community from year 2022-23 and if the details thereof along with the reasons therefor; SO;
- (b) the details of beneficiaries including application received/rejectedlapproved under the new Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether such move will result in more non-enrolment and dropouts  especially at the elementary stage and there is need to incentivise children from these communities to enter the educational mainstream taken by the Government in this regard; being
- (d) whether the Government has considered that it who belong to economically weak backgrounds and the details thereof   and extent to which the Government will support students financially from economically weaker section;
- (e) whether the Government has considered that the change in provisions of the scholarship may lead to many students dropping out of school and if so, the details thereof; and
- f) whether the Government intends to continue with the existing system of providing pre-matric scholarship to all students studying in class 1 to 10 and if not; the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

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

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Statement referred to in reply to the part (a) to (f) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No: 181 to be  answered on 20.12.2022  regarding "Change in  Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme" and Shri Ritesh Pandey Roy

- (a): Yes Sir: From the year 2021-22, it has been decided to provide scholarship to students only from class 9 and 10 under Pre-Matric Scholarship scheme for OBCs Under the scheme of Pre-Matric   scholarships to Scheduled Castes (SC) and others, Pre-Matric scholarship is provided only to class 9 and 10 students since the launch of the scheme in 2012-13. being
- (b): For the Pre-Matric Scholarship to SC, with effect from 2022-23, the Central Share is directly released to the Bank Account of beneficiaries through DBT mode after the States release their share of the amount to the students. Central share for 2022-23 under prematric scholarship for SC will be released only after receiving the verified data from the respective State Govt /UTs. Pre-Matric OBC Scheme is being implemented through the respective State   Governments/ UTs: are   allocated to all States/UTs from the overall annual outlay of the Scheme.
- (c): No Sir. The enrolment of class [ to VIIL in Government schools has increased in the last 3 years by about (One) crore\_ Further; to incentivize   children from these communities to attend school, the Government is providing free education; free uniform; free meal etc. under different programmes/ schemes like Samagrha Shiksha Abhiyan; PM Poshan, etc.
- (d): Earlier the students from Economically Weaker sections were not provided Pre-Matric scholarship but in the revised   scheme are also being considered for Pre-Matric scholarship for classes IX and X. they
- (e): No Sir. Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act; 2009, the Government is committed to provide free and compulsory elementary education (Classes / to VIII) to each and every child. Under the centrally sponsored scheme- Samagra Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to States and UTs for undertaking various activities for universalization of education, including opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, construction of school buildings & additional  classrooms, setting up and running of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, provision of free uniforms; free text books to the eligible students at elementary level, transport allowance and undertaking enrolment & retention drives. Further, special training for age appropriate admission of out of school children and residential as well as non-residential   training for  older children, seasonal hostels residential  camps, special training centers at worksites, are also supported to out of school children to the formal schooling system. There is also increase in the enrolment of students in class [ to VIII in the last 3 (Three) years by about (One) crore. bring
- (f)= No Sir: From the year 2022-23, pre-matric scholarship scheme is available for students only in Class 9 and 10\_

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