Scholarships for disadvantaged students insufficient, says House panel

A House panel has reported that the scholarships provided by the Social Justice Ministry are not sufficient to cover the rising costs of quality education for students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Economically Weaker Sections. The panel recommended regular review of scholarship amounts to keep up with inflation. The report highlighted issues with the ministry's various educational schemes. It noted delays in disbursing scholarships and that funds were often carried over into the next academic year. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the ministry spent ₹3,403.51 crore on these scholarships, a decrease from prior years. Additionally, the panel observed that other key schemes for livelihood and skills training were underperforming. They did not meet their spending or beneficiary targets. The committee emphasized the importance of focusing on other schemes and requested additional funding if necessary. The scholarships include various types aimed at supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, less than 14% of the funds for some livelihood assistance schemes were used, raising concerns about meeting future goals for beneficiaries. The report also noted frequent changes to scheme guidelines, suggesting that these changes should involve input from relevant stakeholders before implementation.