Case Study from Rajasthan Among the different challenges faced by the students in terms of accessing the scholarship, pending scholarship amount at the centre stands out to be a huge issue for students in accessing scholarships. Several RTI and complaints including individual and group complaints memorandums have been submitted at different levels. Based on the RTI information received in terms of the funds released to different states, students meetings and discussions conducted across different colleges and universities across different states, several representations have been made to MSJE and MOTA in order to release the pending Post Matric Scholarship from different states to the centre. (more…)

Case Study from Kerala There are several challenges faced by SC and ST students in their access to higher education. In terms of accessing scholarship, students experience discrimination at several levels. Starting from the application, many applications from the SC/ST students are not accepted and are denied admission stating reasons of insufficient documents. Moreover often the process of filing application is often so lengthy and tiring, that many students lack the resources in doing so and there are no mechanisms to address to smoothen out these issues. Adding to it, there have been certain policy level changes in terms of reduction in allocation, number of scholarship, linking scholarship to aadhar, lack of proper policy guidelines making the Dalit and Adivasi students more vulnerable in terms of the position in the educational institutions. (more…)

Case Study from Kerala There are several challenges faced by SC and ST students in their access to higher education. In terms of accessing scholarship, students experience discrimination at several levels. Starting from the application, many applications from the SC/ST students are not accepted and are denied admission stating reasons of insufficient documents. Moreover often the process of filing application is often so lengthy and tiring, that many students lack the resources in doing so and there are no mechanisms to address to smoothen out these issues. Adding to it, there have been certain policy level changes in terms of reduction in allocation, number of scholarship, linking scholarship to aadhar making the Dalit and Adivasi students more vulnerable in terms of the position in the educational institutions. (more…)

Case Study from Haryana   The Planning Commission, Government of India, has been stressing from time to time to frame special schemes for the upliftment of the Scheduled Castes. Special schemes were required to be framed for the villages which have significant Scheduled Castes population. Keeping in view the guidelines of the Planning Commission, Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna was launched in the State of Haryana. This scheme is aimed at benefiting the poorer sections of the society. Under this scheme, the State Government has decided to allot free residential plots to the eligible SC families, Backward Class (Category-A) families and BPL families in the villages. This scheme was initiated in 2008-09 by the Govt. of Haryana. (more…)