The Centre on Wednesday approved a scheme, entailing an expenditure of Rs 1,868.50 crore (Rs 18.68 billion), to provide pre-matric scholarship to 250,000 students from minority communities for pursuing education in state-run and private institutions.
"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved a centrally sponsored scheme of pre-matric scholarship for students from minority communities through state government and UT administrations," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said after the CCEA meeting.
The scheme would be implemented during the current 11th Five Year Plan, he said.
Of the total money, Rs 1,408.40 crore (Rs 14.08 billion) will be borne by the Centre, while Rs 460.10 crore (Rs 4.6 billion) will be shared by the states. In case of the Union Territories 100 per cent assistance would be provided by the central government, Chidambaram said.
The scheme, to be launched this fiscal, will enable 250,000 students from these communities to pursue education from Class 1 to Class X in government and private institutions, including residential institutes and eligible private ones notified in a transparent manner by state governments and UTs.
Thirty per cent of the scholarships will be earmarked for girl students of each minority community in a state of UT and will be transferable to boy students only if eligible girl students are unavailable, Chidambaram said.
The maximum ceiling of tuition fee entitlement would be Rs 350 per month subject to actuals and the rates of maintenance allowance would be Rs 660 per month for hostellers from Class VI onwards, the finance minister said.
The ceiling for day-scholars from Class-I would be Rs 100 per month, while the admission fee from Class VI would be Rs 500 per annum subject to actuals, Chidambaram added.
