SCs, OBCs fear losing benefits under new scholarship plan

15/03/2020

D. Ravikumar, MP from Villupuram, who raised the issue in the Lok Sabha on Friday, found fault with the changes being mooted by the Central government. The inclusion of the criterion of merit might render “a large number of deserving Dalit students ineligible” to get the scholarship, which was, after all, being given only to those who pursued higher studies. Mr. Bharathan said that given the relative disadvantage that the SC students would be faving vis-a-vis OBC students, there was a chance of the latter eating into the share of the former. [However, as per a document of the Central government, out of the annual 62 lakh student-beneficiaries, SCs will account for 42 lakh].

“Let the Central government frame a separate scheme for OBC students. We have no objection,” he said.

While Mr. Ravikumar wants the Centre to retain the post-matric scheme and give it a higher allocation, Mr. Bharathan suggests that the State government absorb the full cost of the scheme. Even now, it has allocated about ₹1,950 crore for 2020-21 towards the scheme.

“If the outlay can be increased ₹2,000 crore, there would not be much problem,” he adds.

A senior official of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department says the State government is formulating its response to the Centre’s proposal.