The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the Economically Backward Class (EBC) students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary stage to enable them to complete their education.
These scholarships shall be available for studies in India only and will be awarded by the Government of State/Union Territory to which the applicant actually belongs, i.e. permanently settled.
Please Note: Currently this is open for application for students from Chandigarh Region only. Last Date to apply is 30 November 2021
CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY
(i) The scholarships will be open to Indian nationals belonging to General Category (Other than Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe and Other Backward Classes) and the total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in case of unemployed candidate shall not exceed Rs.1.00 lakh per annum.
(ii) Income certificate should be submitted from the competent authority in the State/Union Territory.
(iii) These scholarships will be given for the study of all recognized post- matriculation or post-secondary courses pursued in the Government institutions only with the following exceptions:
“Scholarships shall not be awarded for Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) Course and other aviation linked courses.”
(iv) Candidates who, after passing one stage of education, are studying in the same stage of education in different subject e.g. I. Sc. after I.A or B.Com. after B.A. or M.A. in a subject after M.A in another subject will not be eligible.
(v) Students who, after having completed their educational career in one professional line, e.g., LLB after B.T/B. Ed will not be eligible.
(vi) Students studying in XI Class of the Higher Secondary School courses or the XII class of the Multipurpose High School will not be eligible for it being a continuous school course. However, in cases, where tenth class examination of such courses is treated as equivalent to Matriculation and students who
after passing tenth class join other courses, such students will be treated as post-matric students and will be eligible for the award of scholarships.
(vii) Students pursuing Post-graduate courses in medicine will be eligible if they are not allowed to practice during the period of their course.
(viii) Students who after failing or passing the Under Graduate/Post-Graduate examinations in Arts / Science / Commerce join any recognized professional or Technical certificate/diploma/degree courses will be awarded scholarships if otherwise eligible. No subsequent failure will be condoned except courses in
Group ‘A’ and no further change in the course will be allowed.
(ix) Students who pursue their studies through correspondence courses will be eligible towards reimbursement of non-refundable fee. The term correspondence includes distant and continuing education. Besides reimbursement of non-refundable fee, such students will also be eligible for an annual allowance of Rs. 900/- for essential/prescribed books, as applicable.
(x) Only two boys of the same parents/guardian will be entitled to receive scholarships. This restriction will, however, not apply to girls. Accordingly, scholarship availed by girls of same parents/guardian will not adversely affect admissibility of availing scholarship upto two boys of same parents/guardian.
(xi) A scholarship holder under this Scheme will not hold any other scholarship/stipend. If awarded any other scholarship/stipend, the students can exercise his/her option for either of the two scholarships / stipends, whichever is more beneficial to him/her and should inform the awarding authority through the Head of the Institution about the option made. No scholarship will be paid to the students under this Scheme from the date he/she accepts any other scholarships/stipend. The student can however, accept free lodging or a grant or ad-hoc monetary help from the State Government or any other source for the purchase of books, equipment or for meeting the expenses on board and lodging, in addition to the scholarship amount paid under this Scheme.
(xii) Scholarship holders who are receiving coaching in any of the pre- examination training centers with financial assistance from the Central Government/State Government will not be eligible for stipend under the coaching schemes for the duration of the coaching programme.
(xiii) Employed students whose income combined with the income of their parents/guardians does not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh per annum shall be eligible for post-matric scholarships to the extent of reimbursement of all compulsorily payable non-refundable fees.
(xiv) In case of unemployed students whose parents/guardians income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh per annum will be entitled for the scholarship under the Scheme.
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Note 1: So long as either of the parents (or husband in the case of married unemployed girl students) are alive, only income of the parents/husband, as the case may be, from all sources has to be taken into account and of no other members even
though they may be earning. In the form of income declaration, income is to be declared on this basis. Only in the case where both the parents (or husband in the case of married but unemployed girl student) have died, the income of the guardian who is supporting the student in his/her studies has to be taken into consideration. Such students whose parent’s income is affected due to unfortunate death of one of earning parents and resultantly comes within the income ceiling prescribed under the scheme, shall become eligible for scholarship, subject to their fulfilling other conditions of eligibility, from the month in which such sad incidence takes place. Applications for scholarships from such students can be considered even after lapse of last date of receipt of applications, on compassionate grounds.
Note 2: House Rent Allowance received by the parents of a student be exempted from the computation of ‘income’ if the same has been permitted to be exempted for purpose of Income-Tax.
Note 3: Income Certificate is required to be taken once only, i.e. at the time of admission to courses, which are continuing for more than one year.
Fees
Scholars will be paid enrolment/registration, tuition, games, union, library, magazine, medical examination and such other fees compulsorily payable by the scholar to the institution or University/Board. Refundable deposit-like caution money, security deposit will, however, be excluded.
Study Tours
Study tour charges upto a maximum of Rs. 900/- per annum limited to the actual expenditure incurred by the student on transportation charges etc., will be paid to the scholars studying professional and technical courses, provided that the head of the institution certifies that the study tour is essential for the scholar for completion of his/her course of study.
Thesis Typing /Printing charges
Thesis typing/printing charges upto a maximum of Rs. 1000 will be paid to research scholars on the recommendation of the Head of the Institution.
SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
All the eligible Economically Backward Classes candidates will be given scholarships subject to the condition of eligibility prescribed in para III of this Scheme. Candidates belonging to one State, but studying in another State, will be awarded scholarship by the State to which they belong and will submit their applications to the competent authorities in that State. In the matter of exemption from fees or other concessions also, they will be treated as if they were studying in their own State. Selection should, however, be done keeping in view the ‘Funds-limited’ nature of the scheme as mentioned at Para XII.
DURATION AND RENEWAL OF AWARDS
i. The award once made will be tenable from the stage at which it is given to the completion of course subject to good conduct and regularity in attendance. It will be renewed from year to year provided that within a course, which is continuous for a number of years, the scholar secures promotion to the next
higher class irrespective of the fact whether such examinations are conducted by a University or the Institution.
ii. If an EBC scholar pursuing Group A course fails in the examination for the first time, the award may be renewed. For second and subsequent failures in any class the student shall bear his/her own expenses until he/she secures promotion to the next higher class.
iii. If a scholar is unable to appear in the annual examination owing to illness and or on account of any other unforeseeable event, the award may be renewed for the next academic year on submission of medical certificate and/or other required sufficient proof to the satisfaction of the Head of the Institution and
his/her certifying that the scholar would have passed had he appeared in the examination.
iv. If according to the Regulations of a University/Institution, a student is promoted to the next higher class even though he/she may not have actually passed in lower class and is required to take examination of the junior class again after sometime, he/she will be entitled to scholarship for the class to which he/she is promoted if the student is otherwise eligible for scholarship.
PAYMENT
i. Maintenance charges shall be payable from 1st April or from the month of admission, whichever is later, to the month in which the examination are completed at the end of the academic year, (including maintenance during holidays) provided that if the scholar secures admission after the 20th day of a
month, the amount will be made from the month following the month of admission.
ii. In case of renewal of scholarships awarded in the previous years, maintenance charges will be paid from the month following the month up to which scholarship was paid in the previous year, if the course of study is continuous.
iii. All scholars are expected to purchase the necessary text books, stationary etc., out of the maintenance allowance sanctioned. If it is reported by the Head of the concerned Institution that a scholar is without text-books stationary etc., the value of the scholarship may be reduced at the discretion of the authority
sanctioning the scholarship.
iv. The scholarship money will be paid to the selected students by the government of the State/Union Territory’s Administration to which they belong in accordance with the procedure laid down by them in this regard.
v. Scholarship will not be paid for the period of internship/ housemanship in the M.B.B.S. course or for a practical training in other course if the student is in receipt of some remuneration during the internship period or some allowance/stipend during the practical training in other course.
MODE OF DISBURSAL OF SCHOLARSHIP
In order to ensure timely payment of scholarship amount to the beneficiaries, the State Government/UT administrations are requested to avoid cash payment of scholarship amount and are required to issue instructions to all concerned that payment of scholarship should be made directly to beneficiaries through their accounts in post offices/banks with phased transition to Smart Cards.
OTHER CONDITIONS FOR THE AWARD
i. The scholarship is dependent on the satisfactory progress and conduct of the scholars. If it is reported by the Head of the Institution at any time that a scholar has, by reasons of his/her own act or default, failed to make satisfactory progress or has been guilty of misconduct such as resorting to or participating in strikes, irregularity in attendance without the permission of the authorities concerned etc., the authority sanctioning the scholarships may either cancel the scholarships or stop or withhold further payment of such period as it may think fit.
ii. If a student is found to have obtained a scholarship by false statement his/her scholarship will be cancelled forthwith and the amount of the scholarship paid will be recovered, at the discretion of the concerned State Government. The student concerned will be blacklisted and debarred for scholarship in any scheme for ever.
iii. A scholarship awarded may be cancelled if the scholar changes the subject of the course of study for which the scholarship were originally awarded or changes the institution of study, without prior approval of the State Government. The Head of the Institution shall report such cases to them and stop payment of the scholarship money. The amount already paid may also be recovered at the discretion of the State Government.
iv. A scholar is liable to refund the scholarship amount at the discretion of the State Government, if during the course of the year, the studies for which the scholarship has been awarded, is discontinued by him/her.
v. The provisions of the scheme can be changed at any time at the discretion of the Government of India.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SCHEME
All the State Governments/UT Admns. will announce in May-June, the details of the Scheme and invite applications by issuing an advertisement in the leading newspapers of the State and through other media outfits. All requests for application forms and other particulars should be addressed to the concerned State/UT to which students actually belong. The applicant should submit the completed application to the
prescribed authority before the last dare prescribed for receipt of applications.
PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING
i) An application for scholarship to the prescribed authority should comprise:
a. One copy of the application for scholarship in the prescribed form (separate application form may be prescribed by concerned State Government/UT for ‘fresh’ and ‘renewal’ scholarship).
b. One copy of the passport size photograph with signatures of the student thereon (for fresh scholarship)
c. One attested copy each of certificates/diploma/degree etc., in respect of all examination passed
d. A certificate (in original) of income issued by an authorized Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar.
e. A receipt in acknowledgement of the scholarship in the previous year on the form attached to the application only duly countersigned by the Head of the Institution concerned, if the applicant was in receipt of a scholarship under this Scheme in the preceding year.
ii) Application complete in all respect shall be submitted to the Head of the Institution being attended or last attended by the candidates and shall be addressed to an officer specified for this purpose by the Government of State/Union Territory to which the student belongs in accordance with the instructions issued by them from time to time.
‘FUNDS-LIMITED’ NATURE OF THE SCHEME
(i) Due to budgetary constraint, it is not possible for the Central Government to provide entire assistance to the States/UTs for giving scholarship to all eligible students. The funds will be released to the States on first-come first-served basis, subject to a maximum amount to be worked out every year based on total budget made available that year, under the scheme.
(ii) However, States/UTs would be free to allocate funds from the State- Plan, over and above the Central assistance for funding additional scholarships under the Scheme. Any such additional expenditure will
have to be borne by the State Government/UT Administration itself, and will generally not be eligible for reimbursement from the Centre. However, such additional expenditure incurred by a State/UT may be
considered for reimbursement by the Central Government, to the extent of availability of savings, towards the end of a financial year.
Note:
(I) The guidelines and the above procedure lay down the broad principles for implementing the “Capping” feature. Each State Government/UT Administration may work out its State/UT-specific detailed modalities (within the broad guidelines of the Scheme) for implementation of the Scheme including this Capping feature. The States/UTs should send their respective modalities as formulated, to this Ministry, for its information and record.
(II) The modalities framed by the States/UTs should adequately ensure a time-bound process for release of scholarship to the students to prevent any hardship to them on this account.
FUNDING PATTERN OF THE SCHEME
This Centrally Sponsored Scheme will be implemented by the State Governments and Union Territories, who will receive Central Assistance, as may be determined by the Government of India from time to time, for implementing the Scheme. Up to 1% of such funds may be utilized for contingencies by the State Govt./UT with prior consent of the Government of India.
MONITORING
The monitoring of the financial and physical performance of the Scheme will be done through seeking detailed information from the Agencies implementing the Scheme. On the physical aspects the Agencies implementing the Scheme will be required to furnish Quarterly Progress Reports regarding the number of beneficiaries receiving award under the Scheme, both class-wise and gender-wise. On the financial side, details of actual expenditure incurred during the last financial year and expenditure proposed for the present financial year will be submitted by the Agencies concerned. The Agencies implementing the scheme will also be insisted upon to submit the latest audited accounts.
EVALAUTION
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment may get the scheme evaluated by entrusting a research study to reputed institutions/agencies, on the performance of the Scheme in different parts of the country, under this Ministry’s Scheme of Research and Training.
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