Lok Sabha Question No. 358 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Scholarship to Students of EWS Category
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Imran Masood

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 358

ANSWERED ON- 18/08/2025

## Scholarship to Students of EWS Category

†*358. Shri Imran Masood: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a)  whether  economically  weaker  students  belonging  to  the  minority  communities  are  unable to  apply  afresh/renew  their  scholarship  being  provided  by  the  Government  on  the  National Scholarship Portal during the last three years; (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; (c) whether a large number of students belonging to economically weaker sections of the minority communities have to drop out of their studies midway due to non-receipt of scholarship; and (d)  whether  the  Government  is  providing  any  other  financial  assistance  to  the  students  who

- have not been able to avail scholarship during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 358 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 ASKED BY SHRI IMRAN MASOOD, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING 'SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS OF EWS CATEGORY'

(a)  to  (c):  The  Department  of  Higher  Education  (DHE)  is  implementing  the  Pradhan  Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS), where means-cum-merit scholarships are provided to students with annual family income up to ₹ 4.5 lakhs per year subject to scheme guidelines. There is no criterion about  minority  status  of  the  candidate.  This  scheme  is  onboarded  on  the  National  Scholarship Portal (NSP). In last three years, the PM-USP CSSS scholarship has been provided to about 5.5 lakh students, belonging to all communities.

(d):  The  Pradhan  Mantri  Vidyalaxmi  (PM  Vidyalaxmi),  a  new  central  sector  scheme  has  been launched on 6th November 2024. The main objective of the scheme is to ensure that no student is denied the opportunity to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. Under the scheme, collateral-free and guarantor-free education loan is provided to all the students, including students from  minority  communities  who  get  merit-based  admission  in  top  Quality  Higher  Education Institutions (QHEIs) and who desire to avail the education loan and there is no upper limit for this. Further, for students with annual family income up to ₹ 8 lakh, the scheme provides 3% interest subvention on education loans up to ₹ 10 lakhs. Up to one lakh fresh students not getting any other  scholarship  or  interest  subvention  on  education  loan  will  get  this  interest  subvention.  A dedicated  online  platform,  the  PM  Vidyalaxmi  portal  https://pmvidyalaxmi.co.in  has  been developed  on  which  students  can  apply  for  the  education  loan  as  well  as  interest  subvention, through a simplified application process to be used by all banks.

Further, the Department of Higher Education is implementing the PM-USP Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme. Under the PM USP-CSIS Scheme, full interest subvention is provided to all  students  who  are  pursuing  technical/professional  courses  from  approved  NAAC  accredited HEIs/NBA accredited courses and whose annual family income is up to ₹ 4.5 lakhs for loans up to Rs.  10  lakhs,  during  the  moratorium  period.  There  is  no  upper  limit  on  number  of  student beneficiaries for this Scheme.

Moreover, under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Education Loans (PM-USP CGFSEL) of the Central Government, credit guarantee is provided for education loans sanctioned up to ₹ 7.5 lakhs. The guarantee cover is up to 75% of outstanding  default.  Further,  under  the  model  education  loan  scheme  of  the  Indian  Banks' Association, the repayment period for education loan is up to 15 years after moratorium period (course year plus one year).

Thus,  PM  Vidyalaxmi, PM-USP CSIS and PM USP CGFSEL schemes, along with the various scholarships together provide holistic support to all deserving students to pursue higher education in quality HEIs and technical/professional education in approved HEIs.

As a result of all the above initiatives, the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of students in Higher Education has increased from  27.3 in 2020-21 to 29.5 in 2022-23 (provisional).

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