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The Ministry of Minority Affairs in India has sanctioned over 3.08 crore scholarships to students from minority communities between 2016 and 2021. Of this, over 2.3 crore scholarships have been granted to students from the Muslim community followed by Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis. The scholarships have been provided under four schemes that support eligible students from pre- and post-matric education up to the PhD-level and in technical and professional education. The ministry has disbursed over Rs 9,904 crore between 2016 to 2021 on scholarships.
To be eligible for the pre-matric scholarship scheme, the annual income of the parent/guardian of the student should not be more than Rs 1 lakh and the student should have secured a minimum of 50% marks in the previous class. The post-matric scholarship scheme applies to eligible students from Class XI to PhD, including technical and vocational courses of XI and XII level. The merit-cum-means based scholarship scheme is for technical and professional courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The Begum Hazrat Mahal national scholarship scheme is meant for meritorious minority girl students in classes IX to XII.
The minister for minority affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, shared the data in Parliament in response to a question raised in the RS. The scholarships have been disbursed to students from minority communities to help them pursue their education and empower themselves. The ministry aims to provide 'Pradhanmantri Scholarship' to five crore students in the next five years, which will include 50% girl students.
The scholarships have helped minority students achieve their academic goals and contribute to the development of the nation. The scholarships have been provided based on the eligibility criteria set by the ministry, which includes minimum marks and annual income. The scholarships have been instrumental in ensuring that the deserving students get an opportunity to pursue their education, irrespective of their financial background.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs is hopeful of meeting the five crore target over the next two years with the number of scholarships likely to be enhanced in the coming months with the government working on streamlining the scholarship system. The scholarships have played a significant role in promoting education among minority communities in India and have helped in creating a level playing field for all students to pursue their academic dreams. The scholarships have enabled the students to achieve their academic goals and contribute to the development of the nation.
