India has discontinued pre-matric scholarships for classes I to VIII, according to the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar. This decision was made to incentivize children from disadvantaged communities to attend school, with the government providing free education, uniforms, and meals under different programs and schemes.
Instead, the pre-matric scholarship scheme is now available for students pursuing classes IX and X. The scheme aims to support parents of children belonging to Scheduled Castes and other disadvantaged categories for education, enabling them to perform better and progress to the post-matric stage.
Some key changes to the scheme include:
Eligibility Criteria
– Students must be studying in class IX and X on a full-time basis
– Belong to Scheduled Caste or other disadvantaged categories
– Parent/guardian’s income should not exceed Rs. 2.50 lakh per annum
Rate of Scholarship
– Consolidated academic allowance of Rs. 3,500 for day scholars and Rs. 7,000 for hostellers
The scheme is implemented through State Governments and UT administrations, with applications invited on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) in April every year.
