Fix Post-Matric Scholarship Rules to Stop SC/ST Student Dropouts Now! BANAE's Urgent Plea to Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi- In a detailed representation to Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar National Association of Engineers (BANAE) has raised serious concerns over what it terms "detrimental" and "exclusionary" clauses in the current guidelines for Post Matric Scholarships (PMS) for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students. The letter, sent by BANAE Secretary General Sanjay Sagar, warns that the stringent conditions are leading to increased student dropouts and jeopardizing the constitutional spirit of affirmative action.

The organisation's critique centers on specific clauses in the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) between 2021 and 2022. A primary concern is Clause 6.2 for SC students, which, while setting an eligibility income limit of Rs. 2.50 lakh per annum, introduces a preference system. The guideline mandates that state governments make "special efforts" to first enroll the "poorest eligible households," specifically identifying students from households with three or more deprivations per the SECC-2011 data, those with illiterate parent(s), and those who passed 10th standard from a government or local body school.

BANAE argues that this creates an unfair hierarchy among eligible students, potentially excluding SC/ST students from literate households or those who attended private schools due to the lack of quality government institutions. The letter contends this approach "seems to lack the spirit of Article 15(5)" of the Constitution and is an effort "towards elimination of the eligible SC/ST students on one plea or the other."

On funding, BANAE highlights Clause 10.1, which outlines a 60:40 fund-sharing ratio between the Centre and States. The central share is released only after the state government has released its portion. BANAE states this mechanism would "indirectly deny/delay the scholarships leading to increase in the dropout rates." They demand the release of 100% scholarship funds unconditionally by the Central Government.

The letter also points to a restrictive budgetary cap defined in Clause 10.2. For the year 2020-21, the central share was based on the lesser of the actual demand or the average demand of the previous three years (2017-18 to 2019-20). For subsequent years, only a 5% annual increase over this base period average is permitted. BANAE calls this inadequate, noting it effectively reduces provisions despite inflation and increased cost pressures.

Furthermore, the collective notes that the academic allowances under the scheme, as per Clause 7.3, have not been revised upwards, adding to the financial strain on beneficiaries.

Comprehensive Demands for Revision

In a detailed 10-point agenda, the letter proposes specific reforms to overhaul the PMS framework. First, it recommends raising the income eligibility limit for scholarships and other beneficiary schemes for SC and ST students beyond EWS thresholds, with additional compensation to cover the purchase of matched assets and associated payments. Second, it insists that all SC and ST students falling within the revised ceiling limit should receive scholarships without exception. Third, budgetary allocations and releases should be determined by actual requirements rather than the lowest average of the previous three years and the current year. Fourth, reimbursement conditions should be relaxed to permit fee payments after the scholarship is released, easing immediate financial pressures on families.

The fifth point calls for the deletion of clauses that eliminate SC and ST students based on parental literacy levels, recognizing that education within families should not penalize access to benefits. Sixth, exclusions linked to deprivations as defined in SECC-2011 should be removed to broaden eligibility. Seventh, clauses restricting scholarships to students who passed high school from government schools must be deleted, accommodating those who opt for private education due to systemic shortcomings. Eighth, preference clauses that initiate scholarships in SC-dominated villages should be eliminated to ensure uniform application. Ninth, preconditions requiring the release of the 40% State share before Central disbursement should be omitted to streamline fund flows. Finally, the tenth recommendation urges an increase in scholarship provisions in accordance with guidelines effective from 2013, including enhanced eligibility income limits and scholarship amounts adjusted for rises in the Consumer Price Index.