Post-Matric Scholarship – Fee Depositing Date Extended for SC Students

Educational institutions extended the date of depositing the fees for Scheduled Caste students eligible under post-matric scholarship scheme.

16^th July 2018: Centre has instructed all states and union territories to extend the date of fee submission for students qualified under its post-matric scholarship program. The extension is until the scholarship amount gets transferred in their bank accounts. Providing opportunities for higher education to scheduled caste students is the basic aim of the scheme.

The directive by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment came as a consequence of complaints of rejection of admission by institutions due to delay in fee payments by SC students.

As per the revised norms, the students will be able to pay the fees of the institution once the scholarship amount and the fee is deposited in their respective bank accounts.

Going the practice so far, the scholarship amount is released by the states, wherein the fees amount is provided to the institution and the maintenance amount to the students.

There were allegations that few private and government institutions tricked students into paying the fees.

“There have been complaints about institutions denying admission to eligible SC students since they cannot pay the fees on time till they receive the scholarship amount in their accounts,” said a source in the ministry.

“In this connection suitable instruction may be issued to the effect that the concerned institution may verify the eligibility criteria of SC students for award of PMS-SC scholarship and if found eligible the date for depositing the fee for such SC students may be extended till scholarship amount is transferred to his or her account," read the letter sent to the states and UTs.”

If necessary the institutions may take a confirmation from such students that they will deposit the fee as soon as it is credited to their account, the letter expressed. The revised rules under the plan are intended for guaranteeing end-to-end online processing, verification of qualification certifications to guarantee greater transparency and to control deception and wrongful claims by institutions.

According to the revised standards, the state governments and union territories will outline modalities with respect to periodical and timely release of grant (as well as fees) to the accounts of the beneficiaries under post-matric scholarship, so they can timely pay the fees to the institution.