Lok Sabha Question No. 2590 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Educational Scholarship Schemes
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri M K Raghavan, Shri E T Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2590

ANSWERED ON 11/12/2024

## EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES

2590. SHRI M K RAGHAVAN: SHRI E T MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of scholarships provided by the Government since, 2014;
- (b) the details of fund allocated and utilised for various educational scholarship schemes under the Ministry during the last seven years;
- (c) whether the Government has started any scholarship schemes or stopped them during the last five years; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons for discontinuation of any scheme?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  &  (b):  The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  has  been  implementing  various  schemes  for  the educational and socio-economic empowerment of 6 notified Minority communities, especially from the  economically  weaker  and  under  privileged  sections,  including  Pre-Matric,  Post-Matric  and Merit-cum-Means  based  Scholarship.  The  details  of  budget  allocations  and  expenditures  made under these 3 schemes during the last 7 years, year-wise are as under:

(Amount in ₹ Crore)

Scholarship Scheme

| Scheme   | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme   | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme   | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme   | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme   | Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme   | Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme   |
|----------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Year     | Allocation                      | Expenditure                     | Allocation                       | Expenditure                      | Allocation                                 | Expenditure                                |
| 2017-18  | 1001.15                         | 1108.13                         | 561.29                           | 479.72                           | 393.54                                     | 388.79                                     |
| 2018-19  | 1269.00                         | 1176.20                         | 500.00                           | 354.90                           | 402.00                                     | 261.17                                     |
| 2019-20  | 1199.82                         | 1324.85                         | 482.66                           | 428.77                           | 361.51                                     | 285.63                                     |
| 2020-21  | 1330.00                         | 1325.54                         | 535.00                           | 512.81                           | 400.00                                     | 396.34                                     |
| 2021-22  | 1378.00                         | 1350.99                         | 468.00                           | 411.87                           | 325.00                                     | 345.77                                     |
| 2022-23  | 556.82                          | 43.95                           | 515.00                           | 29.00                            | 358.02                                     | 34.90                                      |
| 2023-24  | 400.00                          | 95.84                           | 1000.00                          | 85.02                            | 25.00                                      | 152.74                                     |
| Total    | 7134.79                         | 6425.50                         | 4061.95                          | 2302.09                          | 2265.07                                    | 1865.34                                    |

(c)  &  (d):  The  participation  of  students  from  minority  communities  is  at  par  with  the  national average at primary and elementary level and the students at these levels are already covered under the Right to Education Act. Further, there was a need to harmonize the coverage under Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for minorities with similar schemes implemented for other target groups like the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the OBCs. Keeping in view of the above, it has been decided to discontinue classes I-VIII from the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for minorities and focus more on the education of children from minority communities, especially girls, at higher classes  which  would  generate  better  employment  opportunities  for  them.  Accordingly,  the  PreMatric  Scholarship  Scheme  has  now  been  restricted  to  Class  IX-X,  only.  Besides,  the  Begum Hazrat  Mahal  National  Scholarship  Scheme  for  girls,  implemented  by  Maulana  Azad  Education Foundation (MAEF) has been subsumed with Pre-Matric (for class IX-X) and the Post-Matric (for class XI-XII) Scholarship Schemes from 2022-23.

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