Jaipur- In a glaring instance of systemic inefficiency, the Education Department's delayed response has deeply impacted Scheduled Caste (SC) students in Rajasthan. Under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, SC students are entitled to financial assistance for tuition fees during their undergraduate studies.

However, due to administrative lapses, the scholarship funds were not released in time for the academic year 2023-2024. As a result, the allocated amount remained unutilized and was eventually returned to the government treasury. This failure compelled students to pay their admission fees out of pocket, exacerbating the financial hardships faced by many from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

After last year’s lapse in scholarship funds, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has now reissued grants and directed that the scholarship amounts be credited to beneficiary students’ accounts by December 10. Alarmingly, despite the severe hardships faced by thousands of economically disadvantaged SC students over the past year, no accountability has been established for the failure.

As per the Shala Darpan portal, for the academic year, the Post Matric Scholarship for SC students (Class 11 to 12) covers 311,055 beneficiaries with an allocated amount of ₹30 crore.

The scholarship is a crucial support mechanism, ensuring access to higher education for SC students by covering tuition fees required for advancing to the next academic level. Its absence not only disrupted their education but also burdened families already grappling with economic insecurities.

The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, initiated by the Central Government, provides financial aid to SC students across the country to ease the financial strain of pursuing higher education. Under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, funds are directly credited to students’ bank accounts. This mechanism ensures transparency and timely disbursement when executed effectively.

However, despite receiving funds from the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Rajasthan Education Department failed to transfer the scholarship money to beneficiaries. Officials at the district and block levels did not forward the requisite beneficiary lists (bills) to the revenue office, leading to delays in processing the payments. Consequently, the funds lapsed, leaving students stranded without the financial assistance they were promised.

Post-Matric Scholarship: Lifeline for Over 7 Lakh Marginalized Students in Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme serves as a crucial support system for students from marginalized communities. For the academic year, the scheme recorded 3,11,055 beneficiaries among Scheduled Caste (SC) students in classes 11 and 12, with an allocated budget of ₹30 crore. Scheduled Tribe (ST) students accounted for 2,63,422 beneficiaries, receiving ₹59 crore, while Other Backward Class (OBC) students numbered 78,127, with ₹18 crore sanctioned for their support.

The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme in Rajasthan also extends support to students from Special/Most Backward Classes (SBC/MBC) and Economically Backward Classes (EBC). For SBC/MBC students, the scheme benefited 50,369 individuals, with an allocated budget of ₹11 crore. Meanwhile, 1,891 EBC students receive financial assistance amounting to ₹53 lakh.

Revised guidelines issued

In response to this administrative failure, the Secondary Education Department has issued revised guidelines to the Chief District Education Officers (CDEOs) of all 33 districts in Rajasthan. The updated directives outline that district education offices will be responsible for withdrawing and distributing the scholarship funds for schools under their jurisdiction.

To ensure swift and effective disbursement, the guidelines mandate direct deposits of scholarship amounts into students' bank accounts. Additionally, they warn of stringent action against officials who fail to adhere to these processes or display negligence in carrying out their responsibilities.

The failure to distribute scholarship funds has had a cascading impact on thousands of SC students. Many were forced to borrow money or forego essential academic needs due to this delay. Yet, no accountability has been fixed on the officials or departments responsible for this glaring oversight. The revised measures now aim to prevent future lapses, but for the affected students, the damage caused over the past year remains unaddressed.