The Government of Kerala has taken a decision to halve the funds for minority scholarships which were distributed under the Minority Welfare Department of State Government. According to various reports, the state government order issued on January 15 will reduce half the amount of nine out of 11 scholarship schemes.
These welfare programs include Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award, Mother Teresa Scholarship, APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship, ITI/ITC Fee reimbursement scholarship, CA/CMA/CS Scholarship, UGC/CSIR NET Coaching, Scholarship for Civil Service coaching and Scholarship to Minority Students for Higher Studies Abroad.
This comes amid the Union government’s decision to halt the minority scholarship schemes earlier. The move by the state government to reduce the funds citing the financial crisis may drop the question mark on educational access of students belonging to minority communities.
Scholarships are the lifelines for most of the students, especially those belonging to backward communities, to meet the expenses of education and to complete the year long courses. Huge number of eligible students have got sanctioned benefits through these schemes.
The decision has met with strong opposition from not only minority communities, but also from the Opposition parties. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who is also chairman of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the main Opposition in the State, has questioned the government. He warned that the Opposition would protest against the move inside and outside the Assembly.
It was the recommendation of 2005 Sachar Committee Report, a study of Socio-Economic and Educational Status of Muslim Community in India by Justice Rajindar Sachar under Prime Minister’s High Level Committee, to institute more scholarships for professional and technical courses that would encourage students to avail in greater measure of opportunities in higher education.
The Paloli Committee Report, a study regarding the Implementation of Sachar Committee Report in Kerala by Paloli Mohammed Kutty, the then Local Self Governance Minister, had also put forward that new scholarships which are beneficial to increase standard of education, and its promotion have to be instituted and its number need to be increased.
According to reports, hundreds and thousands of students have benefited from the fund deducted schemes. Since its inception, more than 2.5 lakh applications have been approved and over an amount of Rs. 122 Crore have been sanctioned for eligible candidates. Prof. Joseph Mundassery scholarship itself has over fifty thousand applications a year. These data show that the schemes were helpful for the intended communities and funds reduction by 50 percent will result negatively to the respective groups.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs had stopped the distribution of pre-matric scholarship scheme till eighth standard from academic year 2022-23 citing that free education is delivered under Right to Education Act of 2009. The scheme has been shrunk to Rs.326 crore from Rs.1378 crore in FY 2021-22. Currently, the scheme is distributed only to the students of class 9th and 10th.
The Union Government has paused the distribution of the post-matric scholarship scheme since 2021-22. In an answer to a Rajya Sabha MP, the Ministry cited that Pre-matric, Post-matric and Merit-cum-Means are yet to be approved for implementation by the Competent Authority beyond 2021-22. Recently, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has expressed concern over running the scheme without formal approval and urged to speed up the process.
The Ministry has also cancelled the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme that supported the PhD Scholars from minority communities, and Padho Pardesh Scheme for providing subsidy on the interest payable during the period of moratorium on the educational loan for overseas studies. In a notification, the Ministry stated that the respective scheme is discontinued from 2022-23 due to an overlap with other similar schemes.
The Government has also not invited applications for Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship started with the aim to recognize, promote, and assist girl students belonging to National minorities who cannot continue their education due to lack of financial support.
In the FY 2024 Budget session, the state has announced a scholarship scheme named ‘Margadeepam’ for minority students up to class 8. The decision has been welcomed by various organisations due to its gap coverage of Pre-matric scholarship, discontinued by the Centre. Unfortunately, the applications for the scheme have not been invited yet even though it’s been a year.
