Lok Sabha Question No. 220 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-25
Subject: Cut in Scholarships
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 220 TO BE ANSWERED ON  25.04.2016

## Cut in Scholarships

## 220.  SHRI HARISH MEENA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that Government has made a drastic cut in amount given to States for pre-matric, post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships to Students belonging to SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities;
- (b) if so,  the details thereof along with the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the details of grants sought by State Governments and sanctioned grants by centre to State in past two years ?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to  (c)  :  The  Ministries  of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment,  Tribal  Affairs  and  Minority Affairs are administering Pre-matric, Post-matric and Merit-cum-Means  scholarship schemes for students belonging to SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities. The Department of School Education and Literacy is administering two scholarship schemes namely National Meanscum-Merit Scholarship Scheme and National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education  for  students  belonging  to  economically  weaker  sections  of  the  society.  The Ministry/ Department-wise details are as follows:

## Department of Social Justice & Empowerment :

The Central Assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students during last 2 years has been released as per the notional allocation made to the States each year. Central Assistance released under this scheme was Rs. 196337.63 lakhs during 2014-15 and Rs. 221388.00 lakhs during 2015-16.

The Central Assistance of Pre-matric Scholarship for SC students studying in classes IX & X during the last two years has been released after taking into consideration the unspent funds available with the States /UTs. Central Assistance has also been released on DBT mode during the last 2 years based on the details furnished by the States/UTs. Central

Assistance released under this scheme was Rs. 51403.34 lakhs during 2014-15  and Rs. 52470.31 lakhs during 2015-16.

## Ministry of Tribal Affairs

For  Post-Matric  Scholarships,  Rs.  72100.82  lakhs  and  Rs.  85714.54  lakhs  had  been released  against  the  demand  by  States  amounting  to  Rs.  177482.14  lakhs  and  Rs. 194202.43 lakhs in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.

For  Pre-Matric  Scholarships,  Rs.  20070.87  lakhs  and  Rs.  22868.95  lakhs  had  been released against the demand by States amounting to Rs. 36447.61 lakhs and Rs.45288.61 lakhs in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.

## Ministry of Minority Affairs

Government has not made any cut in amount for scholarship under Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and  Merit-Cum-Means  scholarship  schemes  of  this  Ministry.  The  funds  for  scholarship under Pre-Matric for the year 2014-15 was given to all State Governments for release of scholarship fund amount to the eligible  students.    A  total  fund  of  Rs.1129.27  Crore  was released  to  State  Governments  during  2014-15  and  the  fund  for  Pre-Matric  Scholarship Scheme  is  being  released  directly  to  the  students  bank  accounts  through  DBT  w.  e.  f. 2015-16,  whereas  Post-Matric  and  Merit-Cum-Means  scholarship  are  being  distributed through DBT w.e.f  2014-15.

## Department of School Education and Literacy

Under  Centrally  Sponsored  National  Means-cum-Merit  Scholarship  Scheme,  Rs.65.20 crore and Rs. 127.13 crore had been sanctioned for scholarships against the requirement of  funds    amounting  to  Rs.159.82    crore  and  Rs.  109.38  crore  in  2014-15  and  2015-16 respectively.  The  funds  released  in  2015-16  also  included  release  of  funds  for  pending scholarships received in 2014-15. The scholarships are sanctioned as per the availability of the budget. The scholarship amount is transferred directly into the students bank accounts and scholarship funds are not released to the State Governments.

Under Centrally Sponsored National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education, Rs.  94.23  crore  and  Rs.153.54  crore  had  been  sanctioned  as  incentive  amount  for  girl students against the requirement of funds amounting to Rs. 169.19 crore and Rs. 288.29 crore  in  2014-15  and  2015-16  respectively.  The  scholarships  are  sanctioned  as  per  the availability of the budget. The incentive amount is transferred directly into the students bank accounts and funds are not released to the State Governments.

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