Centre hikes income ceiling for pre-matric scholarship to SC students

The Centre has increased the family income ceiling limit from the current Rs 2 lakh per annum to Rs 2.5 lakh for grant of pre-matric scholarships to school students from the scheduled castes.

The scholarship amount has also been increased slightly.

As per the revised guidelines of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, day scholars will now get Rs 975 per month while the scholarship for boarders will be Rs 1,525.

So far, a day scholar was entitled to Rs 900 per month and a boarder Rs 1,350.

The revised guidelines also clarified that the beneficiaries can also avail the benefits of National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Beneficiaries of the pre-matric scholarship scheme cannot avail benefits of any other centrally funded scholarship scheme.

The National Means-cum-Merit scholarship scheme is meant for "meritorious" students of classes IX to XII whose annual family income is not more than Rs 1.5 lakh per annum.

Beneficiaries of the MHRD scheme are selected through a test conducted every year.

Also, Aadhaar is mandatory to avail the benefits of the pre-matric scholarship scheme.

"In pursuance to the provision of Section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, a student is required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar or undergo Aadhaar Authentication," the revised guidelines stated.