Policy Update
Sreedeep Bose
A scholarship program initiated by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, offers 100,000 scholarships to outstanding or high-achieving students whose family income does not exceed ₹3,50,000/- annually from all sources at the time of selecting recipients for the scholarship. Each State or Union Territory has a designated allocation of scholarships for the relevant age demographic of students in classes 7 and 8. This program will ensure reservations for various student categories according to the regulations set by each State or Union Territory, as distinct States or Union Territories have their own reservation criteria. The program has been in operation since 2008 with the aim of granting scholarships to high-performing students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to prevent their dropout at the eighth grade and to motivate them to pursue education at the secondary level. The scheme has been authorized for continuation for an additional five years during the 15th Finance Commission cycle, spanning from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The Scheme:
- Through this program, a total of 100,000 scholarships are granted to exceptionally talented or high-achieving students whose family income does not exceed Rs. 1,50,000/- annually from all sources. Each State/Union Territory has an established quota of scholarships as outlined in the annex associated with the relevant age group for classes VII and VIII. The program will allocate reservations for various categories of students in accordance with the norms set by the respective State/Union Territories, as these jurisdictions have distinct reservation criteria.
- These scholarships will be allocated annually to students enrolled as regular attendees in class IX at Government, Government-aided, and local authority schools, and will be renewed for the subsequent classes X, XI, and XII. Consequently, the scholarships may be granted for a maximum duration of four years.
- The scholarship value will amount to Rs. 12000/- each year, disbursed at a rate of Rs. 1000 per month.
- A distinct examination will be organized by the State Governments or Union Territory Administrations for the purpose of selecting students for receiving the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarships within those States and Union Territories.
Procedure for Selection of Awardee Students:
Every State and Union Territory will organize its own examination to select students for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship. The State Level Examination may include the following two assessments:
- Mental Ability Test (MAT)
- Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
- To qualify for the scholarship selection test, students must achieve at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in their Class VII examination (with a permissible 5% reduction for SC/ST students). Students must be enrolled as regular attendees in Government, Government-aided, or local body schools.
- The Mental Ability Test may include 90 multiple-choice questions aimed at evaluating verbal and non-verbal meta-cognitive skills such as reasoning and critical thinking. The questions may pertain to topics like analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern recognition, hidden figures, etc.
- The Scholastic Aptitude Test may feature 90 multiple-choice questions that span subjects such as science, social studies, and mathematics as covered in classes VII and VII
- Each test will be of 90 minutes duration. Children with disability will be given extra time, as applicable.
For the selection of students, the following criteria may be applicable:
(i) Students are required to achieve a minimum of 40% overall marks combined from both the MAT and SAT tests. For SC/ST students, the minimum threshold will be 32%.
(ii) At the point of selection for the scholarship, the student must have attained at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in the Class VIII examination. There will be a 5% concession for SC/ST students.
(iii) Those who receive the awards must meet the eligibility requirements and conditions outlined in the scheme.
Disbursement of Scholarships
- A student is eligible to receive only one scholarship from any particular scheme.
- The recipients must set up bank accounts, ideally with SBI or any public sector bank, or any scheduled bank equipped with core banking facilities.
- State Governments or Union Territory Administrations are typically responsible for submitting proposals or beneficiary lists online through the Scholarship Portal. The Ministry will review these proposals and allocate funds from the Annual Budget to SBI, the designated implementing bank, to ensure scholarships are directly credited to students’ bank accounts via electronic transfer.
- Awardees must achieve at least 55% marks in Class IX and XI, and 60% in Class X to maintain their scholarship in the subsequent higher classes (a 5% relaxation is permissible for SC/ST candidates).
- SBI (STATE BANK OF INDIA) will guarantee that scholarship payments are made to awardees in a lump sum (Rs. 12000) promptly after receiving funds and beneficiary lists from the Ministry.
- SBI will direct certain branches to collaborate with the State Education Department regarding the distribution of scholarship payments.
Exclusions:
- Students enrolled in “Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas” are not eligible for scholarships under this scheme.
- Students attending Residential Schools operated by Central/State Government Institutions, which provide boarding, lodging, and educational facilities, as well as those studying in private schools, are also ineligible for scholarships under this scheme.
- No scholarships will be provided for studies abroad for any course.
- At this time, scholarships are not available for diploma or certificate level courses.
Conclusion:
In light of the difficulties arising from dwindling public funding for education alongside the increasing demand for resources, numerous developed and developing nations, including India, are currently exploring alternative approaches to subsidize higher education to support students from underprivileged backgrounds. The program is designed to assist students facing financial difficulties and to consider their academic performance. Only those students who demonstrate their capability in a specifically organized examination are eligible to receive the scholarship throughout the remaining years of their education. The scholarship initiative is founded on the concept of ‘Conditional Cash Transfer,’ indicating that recipients must meet specific criteria to qualify for the financial assistance.
References:
1. https://www.education.gov.in/nmms
2. Jain, M. (2009). National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme: A Review. Centre for Civil Society: Summer Research Internship.
3. Sharma, S., & Singh, A. (2020). Importance of Scholarship Scheme in Higher Education for the Students from Deprived Sections. Institute of Economic Growth, University Enclave, University of Delhi.
About the Contributor— Sreedeep Bose, who has qualified for the UGC NET in Ph. D, is dedicated to enhancing understanding in social science and public policy. With a focus on meaningful research, Sreedeep intends to provide creative solutions to current societal issues.
Acknowledgement: The author sincerely thanks Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja and the IMPRI fellows for their valuable contributions.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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